'West Side Story' a Smashing Success at Solon High

Solon High School’s (SHS) 2011 musical performance of West Side Story presented stunning choreography, expressive acting and mood-setting music.

Not a single word was needed to communicate the tensions between the and the Sharks during the opening scene. The expressive dancing and musical accompaniment highlighted the conflict through combative dance and acting expressions with musical climaxes.

Saturday night’s actresses Lindsay Simon as Maria and Maria Williams as Anita stole the show. The performance showcased both of their singing voices, acting abilities, and passion for the stage. Williams shined during the song America where she brought Anita’s character to life through her entertaining , and well-rehearsed dance routine. Simon as Maria proved her acting abilities at the end of the play when her character's lover died. Her emotional explosion of grief had the audience mourning over her lover’s death. 

Zachary Davidson as Bernardo also proved his acting abilities when he was taunting the character Tony (played by Zach McCulley), calling him a chicken and asking for a fight. The comical scene brought bursts of laughter from the audience.

However, a truly successful performance requires more than talented lead roles – it takes hours of hard work and dedication from everyone involved. This was clearly evident on Saturday night’s performance, from the crisp stringent finger snapping to the circles spun in complex choreography.  Everyone was working together. The band’s base player Jeremy Kulbarsh said, “tonight’s performance has been the best so far.”

The performers were not the only hard workers. Without the talented musicians the entire performance would have flopped. The music was not only a delight to listen to but it was a tool to communicate the feelings and mood of the performance when dialogue was absent. This kept the show moving and engaged the audience in a different, more emotional manner.

But the talent doesn’t stop there. The was also excellent. There were numerous outfit changes. Throughout the entire performance the women were dressed in a plethora of stylized dresses. This created visually captivating scenery for the audience.

This famous musical was performed with excellence and famous scenes, from the clothing shop to Docs restaurant to the dance hall, and songs – Tonight, Maria, and One Hand, One Heart – were recognizable and enjoyable. SHS drama performers should be proud of their hard work.