West Side Story

Last night our friends Len and Ginny took us to see West Side Story at the Walnut Street Theater. Of all musicals, WSS is the one I most wanted to see on stage and the performace we saw was as wonderful as I had hoped. The lead roles of Tony and Maria were played by actors (Michael Gillis and Christina Decicco) with beautiful, powerful voices, with the chemistry needed to bring their love and passion to life. Other actors were equally good. The set was fantastic and the orchestra was able to deliver a much more powerful sound than you might have expected from a 14-piece ensemble. But, of course, the star of this show is the show itself. There is no better score than that written by Leonard Bernstein. Even without words, dancing, and acting, the music tells an unforgettable story. The lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are equally amazing, giving us beautiful, memorable songs. And Jerome Robbins' choreography, preserved through the years, is just dazzling. The cast of young actors danced with a great deal of energy and emotion.

Before the show, we had a wonderful dinner at La Boheme, a restaurant on 11th street, only a few blocks from the theater. With dinner, we shared a bottle of Drylands 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, another excellent Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. This is fast becoming one of our favorite types of wine. Could a trip to New Zealand be in our future?