Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
NPR News

The 1A Movie Club Sees ‘West Side Story’

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.

Listen 47:09

“West Side Story,” one of the most popular musicals in the history of American theater, follows the romance between two star-crossed lovers on either side of a gang conflict in 1950’s New York.

To this day, 250 productions of the classic take place across the country each year – in schools, community theaters, and on Broadway.

It’s a show whose history features many important firsts. It’s the first Broadway production that theater legend Stephen Sondheim worked on.And the 1961 movie version of the musical was a box office success, making Rita Moreno the first Latina to win an Oscar for her role in the film.

Now, 60 years later, “West Side Story” is back on the big screen in a new film revival directed by Steven Spielberg. 

So how does the new film hold up? The 1A Movie Club discusses that and more. 

Copyright 2021 WAMU 88.5. To see more, visit WAMU 88.5.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.

Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.

If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.

Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today