West Side Story

Licensing available through: Music Theatre International

Mount a moving performance of West Side Story with Grosh Backdrops and Draperys collection of stage backdrops made especially for this modern adaptation of William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet.

Take your audience back to New Yorks Upper West Side in the 1950s, the setting of the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks gangs. Our collection includes backdrop designs that depict a variety of scenes commonly seen in New York City, from back alleys, and graffiti-covered walls to brownstone rowhouses, tenement buildings, and skyscrapers. We have backdrops specifically created for particular scenes in the musical, including one that portrays the gymnasium where Tony and Maria first meet and one that shows the shop where Maria tells her friends how wonderful it is to be in love. We also have generic New York-themed pieces, including those depicting the Manhattan skyline and the George Washington Bridge.

West Side Story is a romantic musical drama that opened on Broadway in 1957. Written by Arthur Laurents, the musical also features the music of Leonard Bernstein, lyrics of Stephen Sondheim, and the choreography of Jerome Robbins. In 1958, this original Broadway production was nominated for six Tony Awards, two of which it won. In 1961, United Artists released a film adaptation of the musical, which eventually won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Set in New Yorks Upper West Side neighborhood in the 1950s, West Side Story revolves around the longstanding rivalry between two teenage gangs of different ethnic composition: the Eastern European Jets led by Riff and the Puerto Rican Sharks led by Bernardo.

The conflict between the two warring gangs escalates when Tony, a founding member of the Jets, falls in love with Maria, sister of the Sharks leader, Bernardo. Their chance meeting at a dance in a gymnasium is quickly followed by other tryststhe last straw for many members of both gangs, who then decide to fight in the streets for the right to control their overlapping territories.

Find the right backdrops, curtains, and drapes to use for your production of West Side Story only at Grosh Backdrops and Drapery. Use the form provided on this page to order online or call us at 877-363-7998 if you need help. Our friendly backdrop consultants will be more than happy to assist you. We can also be reached through our contact page.

Grosh has offices in Los Angeles, California, and Evansville, Indiana. We deliver throughout the United States.

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