Show Plot West Side Story

Authors: Leonard Bernstein (music), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics), Arthur Laurents (book)

Time Period: late summer mid-1950s

Setting:  The Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City

Summary:  A re-telling of Romeo and Juliet, two street gangs fight for turf in New York City. The Jets are white Americans, and the Sharks are Puerto Rican immigrants.  Tony (a former Jet) and Maria (sister to Bernardo, the Shark leader) meet at a dance and fall instantly in love, causing escalating tension between the two gangs, who plan a "rumble" to permanently settle their rivalry.