Know:
Do all of the following:
- Watch the movie West Side Story (the 1961 version)
- Listen to this short story retelling of Romeo and Juliet (about 18 minutes long: click THIS link, scroll down and click on the title “Romeo and Juliet” and then press play on the story on the page it takes you to)
Understand:
- West Side Story is the modern musical retelling of the Shakespearean tragedy Romeo & Juliet. The musical, visual, and dance styles in this film were new and bold at the time of its debut in the 1950s. What did you notice about the story? the music? the dancing? the costumes? the sets? What did you learn from all this? What did you notice about the characters and the differences between them? Did you relate to them at all? What did you think about the ending of this movie? The ending compared to the ending of Romeo and Juliet?
