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West Side Stories - The Making of a Classic
Documentary about the musical West Side Story. Bruno Tonioli and Suzy Klein go in search of the true stories behind the inception of this classic show.
West Side Story is one of the best-loved musicals of all time. A modern-day Romeo and Juliet, its timeless story and exhilarating dance and music continue to excite audiences around the globe. Songs such as Maria, Somewhere, Tonight and America have all become some of the biggest hits in showbusiness. And yet, West Side Story had an uneasy birth and was even turned away by producers when it was first put together in the 1950s by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins and Arthur Laurents.
As the world prepared to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of West Side Story in 2017, dancer Bruno Tonioli and broadcaster Suzy Klein went in search of the true stories behind the inception of this classic show. For the first time on television, they heard first-hand from those involved in the show when it opened on Broadway in September 1957, including Sondheim himself, producer Hal Prince and original cast members from both show and movie, including Chita Rivera, Carol Lawrence and Rita Moreno. With the ±«Óãtv Symphony Orchestra and specially cast singers, we relive some of the wonderful music and, in the company of Suzy and Bruno, discover how West Side Story placed the 1950s phenomena of racial tension and teenage gangs centre stage to create a hit that changed musical theatre forever.
Last on
Clip
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The opening night
Duration: 01:40
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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00:03
Leonard Bernstein
Prologue
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00:03
Leonard Bernstein
America
Performer: Betty Wand. Performer: George Chakiris. -
00:04
Leonard Bernstein
America
Performer: Betty Wand. Performer: George Chakiris. -
00:07
Nilla Pizzi
Grazie Dei Fiori
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00:12
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture (1880 Version)
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00:15
Leonard Bernstein
Jet Song
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00:16
Nat King Cole
Nature Boy
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00:16
Members of the Cast
Dance At The Gym
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00:24
Leonard Bernstein
Tonight
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00:29
Tito Puente
Cuban Mambo
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00:29
Leonard Bernstein
Dance At The Gym
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00:35
Miles Davis Quintet
'Round Midnight (Album Version)
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00:38
Chita Rivera, Marilyn Cooper
America
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00:39
Leonard Bernstein
A Boy Like That / I Have A Love
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00:40
Leonard Bernstein
A Boy Like That / I Have a Love
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00:52
Leonard Bernstein
Finale
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00:55
Leonard Bernstein
Somewhere
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00:58
Leonard Bernstein
Maria
Performer: Jimmy Bryant.
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Bruno Tonioli |
Presenter | Suzy Klein |
Producer | Ursula Macfarlane |
Director | Ursula Macfarlane |
Executive Producer | Ben Weston |
Production Company | Reef Television Ltd |
Broadcasts
- Boxing Day 2016 17:20±«Óãtv Two except Scotland
- Sat 31 Dec 2016 18:00±«Óãtv Two Scotland
- Wed 4 Jan 2017 23:15
- Tue 17 Jan 2017 03:05
- Fri 22 Dec 2017 23:00
- Sat 23 Dec 2017 03:00
- Sat 25 Aug 2018 21:50
- Sun 26 Aug 2018 02:50
- Wed 27 Mar 2019 01:00
- Sun 26 May 2019 17:00
- Sun 26 May 2019 19:00±«Óãtv Two Northern Ireland HD & Northern Ireland only
- Sun 22 Mar 2020 22:00
- Mon 23 Mar 2020 02:35
- Sun 31 Jan 2021 22:00
- Sun 18 Jul 2021 16:15±«Óãtv Two except Scotland
- Mon 27 Dec 2021 14:35±«Óãtv Two Wales & Wales HD only
- Mon 27 Dec 2021 15:35±«Óãtv Two except Scotland & Wales
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