West Side Story was the first production of its kind and inadvertently serves as the template for Latino/Puerto Rican public performances. This urban version of Romeo and Juliet addresses issues of immigration, racism, and gang violence in a musical setting. Brian Eugenio Herrera’s “Compiling West Side Story’s Parahistories 1949-2009” explores the criticisms and praises of the production. The perpetuation of stereotypes, casting of non-Latinos in Latino roles, and glorification of America are negative views of the production. The play’s inclusion of racial minorities, colorful depiction of Puerto Ricans, and attempt to prevent racism among urban youth are praised by audiences. Herrera delves into Arthur Laurents’ desire to incorporate more Spanish into his 2009 revival to emphasize passion and historical accuracy. Herrera’s thoughts are relatable to class discussions and speaker lectures.
The decision for Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Jerome Robbins to use Puerto Ricans as the main characters in West Side Story was related to the circumstances of the 1950s. When the creators first developed the story, they wanted to use Jews and Catholics as the opposing gangs instead of Puerto Ricans and Polish-Americans. Tensions existed between Jews and Catholics during this time in New York City, especially around the Easter holiday (Tran). Originally called East Side Story, the creators did not pursue this idea because Jew and Catholic conflicts were recreated in performances already. 1946 marked the beginning of Puerto Rican migration to America because of postwar economic boom and reduced flights from San Juan to New York (Herrera). Years later, Laurents and Bernstein met by chance in Beverley Hills; they “agreed that the gang warfare in Los Angeles’s Mexican American neighborhoods could make the updated Romeo story work” (Herrera). By the mid-1950s, gang violence was a relevant issue in urban areas. The idea of opposing racial gangs, such as Puerto-Ricans and Polish-Americans, was realistic. Still, a production that focused on Puerto Ricans was unheard of in this time period.
Although the uniqueness of West Side Story fueled its production, creating a play that relied so heavily on racial conflict presented challenges. Laurents himself was hesitant to use New York City as a setting, in fear that he might write “movie” Mexicans, or characters that perpetuate stereotypes (Herrera). Critics of West Side Story believe it emphasizes Puerto Rican stereotypes, casts non-Latinos in Latino roles, and favors American identity over the homeland (Herrera). Ilan Stavans’ “The Hispanic Condition” discusses how Americans are becoming Latinized and Latinos are becoming Americanized. The belief that West Side Story is bias against Puerto Rico is understandable, as Puerto Rican characters seem to become Americanized. Anita praises the opportunity of America and rejects her home island in “America.” A criticism unrelated to race was the manner in which racism, violence, and rape were presented in West Side Story; the musical backdrop for such dark themes was deemed inappropriate for youth.
Reviewers and audiences that praise West Side Story do so because of its inclusion of minorities, historical accuracy, and topic of gang violence (Herrera). The tragic ending, in which Tony, Bernardo, and Riff die, ends the conflict between the Sharks and Jets. The story reveals the consequences of gang violence for urban youth, and so many regard it as a way to combat real-life gangs. West Side Story is a tale that is shared among youth to prevent gang conflict and racism. At its opening in 1957, many saw it as an entertaining way to promote inclusion and the “melting pot” of New York City. The Gotham class readings describe the immigrant experience with less assimilation; immigrant groups retain their identities and add to the diversity in America, specifically the city. Jewish, Italian and Chinese immigrants settled onto New York City to seek a new life or escape persecution. They adopted American culture, but kept their own talents, traditions, and niches that made them stand out and helped them make a living. West Side Story was the epitome of this Gotham message of the immigrant experience.
By 2007, Laurents sought to revive West Side Story with a special intention in mind. He wanted to incorporate more Spanish into the production to not only emphasize accuracy but to also stress his theme (Herrera). To Laurents, West Side Story was a story about love and sex, and the use of the Spanish language in his 2009 revival worked to expand upon this theme. A bilingual production would emphasize Puerto Rican hardship and emotion. The Sharks would speak Spanish amid racial isolation, Anita would speak Spanish when Bernardo is killed, and Maria would speak English when Tony is killed (Herrera). Laurents enlisted the help of Latin-language playwright Lin Manuel Miranda to translate the songs from English to Spanish. However, these translations were easier said than done. “Regarding the lyrics, Miranda described his instructions from Sondheim in this way: “I could use whatever imagery that would work in Spanish but the lyrics had to rhyme for the English listener . . . It was the hardest bilingual crossword puzzle I’ve ever done.”” (Herrera). Laurents’ goal was to incorporate Spanish and avoid what critics called an Americanized version of the Puerto Rican lifestyle. Lyrical translations, however, turned out to be an English to Spanish to English version. Professor Salgado’s lecture on linguistics revealed the dialects of Caribbean peoples and the New York version of Spanish. Borrowing, code-switching, extension, and calque were ways in which words and phrases, English or Spanish, were mixed to create a unique speech. Salgado’s lecture emphasized the importance of bilingual education in connecting with others without boundaries. Laurents’ desire to incorporate more Spanish into his revival is not only useful to further his theme of love but also to accurately depict the lives of urban Puerto Ricans. The preservation of Spanish ties the characters to their homeland and lifestyle.
Herrera further describes the arrival of Puerto Ricans to New York as either marvelous or monstrous to some. Puerto Ricans were seen as colorful, lively people with immense pride in their homeland, according to Harper’s and writer Anzia Yezierska (Herrera). This description is comparable to Professor Sullivan’s lecture on modern-day Cubans. Sullivan went on a trip to Cuba with CUNY students and shared her experience with the class. She concluded that Cubans, along with most Latino groups, are affectionate people that celebrate life. She showed the class pictures of street art, videos of students dancing with locals, and videos of concerts she attended while in Cuba. Locals were humble, welcoming, and loving toward Sullivan and the students. Herrera’s observation of the color associated with Puerto Ricans is a concept that resonates with most people of the Caribbean and is seen throughout West Side Story.
Others held a negative view of Puerto Ricans as a plague settling in Manhattan and stealing jobs. Herrera offers a compelling question: “Were Puerto Ricans “immigrants” like previous generations of Europeans who arrived through the golden doors of Ellis Island, or were they “migrants” like African Americans of the Great Migration from the American South?” (Herrera). From the original production of West Side Story, the maltreatment of Puerto Ricans resonates more with “migrants.” Critics of the production may agree with this statement because of the stereotypes present in the lyrics. La Prensa, a Spanish newspaper in the 20th century, threatened to picket the show’s opening if the creators did not alter lyrics in “America” (Herrera). In the song, Anita sang the line “Puerto Rico – Island of Tropic Diseases,” which perpetuated the belief that Puerto Ricans were diseased and a threat to public health. Those that denounce the production view the lyrics as racist and the attack on Puerto Rico as a homage to America.
Puerto Ricans and Cubans experienced an advantage over Dominicans and other Caribbean groups. Puerto Ricans were granted citizenship in 1917 through Wilson’s Jones Act. Despite being citizens, Puerto Ricans were treated as illegal immigrants in society. They were blue-collar workers that often lived in tenements and were paid less than whites. Lorca’s “King of Harlem” poem discusses how an African man that was worshipped at home is now a service worker in New York City. This poem exemplifies the American reality for immigrants and Puerto Ricans coming to the city in the 1950s. In 1985, the “wet foot dry foot” policy allowed for Cubans to become residents once they made it to America. Herrera explains that Puerto Ricans faced maltreatment from other immigrants, despite being citizens. West Side Story does not hold back in depicting Puerto Rican political, social, and economic hardship.
West Side Story is a continuously celebrated and criticized work, as detailed in Herrera’s text. Those that applaud the production appreciate its take on issues of gang violence and inclusion of other races. Critics believe the production perpetuates racial stereotypes and that the musical backdrop for such violent themes is inappropriate. To this day, West Side Story is regarded as a classic New York tale of love amid prejudice. According to Herrera, Laurents included more of the Spanish language in his 2009 revival to stress his original themes of genuine emotion and love.
Works Cited
Herrera, Brian Eugenio. “Compiling West Side Story’s Parahistories, 1949-2009.” Theatre Journal, vol. 64, no. 2, 2012, pp. 231–247., http://www.jstor.org/stable/41679580.
Tran, Diep. “Finding New York in West Side Story.” Urban Omnibus, 12 Oct. 2017, urbanomnibus.net/2016/04/finding-new-york-in-west-side-story/.
