Santa Fe College’s Fine Arts Department will soon dive into New York City’s Upper West Side rivalry between two street gangs in the 1950s.
Broadway musical “West Side Story” is playing at Santa Fe from March 18 through 21 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee at 2 p.m. March 21. Admission is $9 for seniors, children and UF students; $12 for balcony seats; and $15 for orchestra and mezzanine seats. It’s free for Santa Fe faculty, staff and students.
Alora Haynes, chairwoman of the Fine Arts Department, said Sarah Harkness-Sebastian, the play’s choreographer, is honoring Jerome Robbins’ original choreography by doing her own version but using a style similar to Robbins’.
“Everything about this play is moving toward the success for the students and the college,” Haynes said.
The roles of Tony and Bernardo will be played by Jimmy Boorum and Charles South, actors from New York City. Officer Krupke will be played by Doug Diekow, a local actor and professor at Santa Fe.
In an email, South said he chose Bernardo because of the similarities in passion and understanding of family interdependence.
“I’m looking forward to re-exploring this role in a new light,” South said. “I’ll be surrounded by a group of new and thirsty young actors.”
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 3/12/2015 under the headline “‘West Side Story’ musical at SFC to start Wednesday”]