Theater Project To Present “West Side Story”

To start things off, I have a guilty pleasure that I have to admit to, and I’m sure there are others out there that can relate. I enjoy going to and watching theater productions of well-known plays, whether it’s at high school, college or community theater levels.

When I first moved to Grand Junction, I was still a high school student who had transferred to Central High School. On my first day at my new school, I learned that Central’s theater department was presenting the play “West Side Story” the following weekend. Wanting to see the play, I talked my parents into going to the production, and after watching the play unfold, I became hooked.

Fast forward 33 years (yes, I know – I’ve dated myself here), another production of “West Side Story” has resurfaced – this time, as a project of a local community theater.

The Theater Project, which is an extension of Creative Avenues in Grand Junction, will present “West Side Story” this weekend at Grand Junction High School.

For anyone who is not familiar with “West Side Story,” here’s the story premise – take Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” and transport it to modern-day New York City.

Granted, the names have changed, but the similarities are still there. Two young idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs (the “American” Jets and the “Puerto Rican” Sharks) and the couple’s struggle to survive in world of hate, violence and prejudice.

The Theater Project will present “West Side Story” this Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16 at Grand Junction High School, 1400 North 5^TH Street. Performance times are at 7:00 p.m. each night, and a 2:00 p.m. matinee is scheduled for Saturday.

Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students/seniors.

Proceeds go towards the Theater Project, which presents professional quality theater, dance, and music theater productions throughout the year and encourages a community spirit in the performing arts.