Culture comes to Scranton... Scranton needs all it can get!

The shows are great and very professionally performed. This is a perfect solution for those who do not want to travel to NYC.

Review of West Side Story by Roy WhitmanFrom the East Side to the South Side to the North Side of Scranton, they were shouting for Arthur Laurents’ West Side Story presented by Broadway Theater League of Scranton at the Cultural Center (November 2-4). Now in its second major revival since its debut in the late 1950s, the quintessential love-story is as endearing and edgy as an Old World ‘Romeo and Juliet’ transplanted to the inner-city streets of America. Leonard Bernstein’s music and Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics bring back a romantic and nostalgic feel especially as Latino immigration is once again front-and-center on the American scene. The music and songs and storyline while old-fashioned take on a new life and a new meaning as the nation witnesses an explosion in Latino populations everywhere. What was true and special about Latino life in America in the 1950s now takes on heightened importance as they become more interwoven and even dominant on the cultural scene.Of course, this is only half of the story. The other half is that of Italian-American life in New York City which is famous for Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty greeting immigrants from Sicily to Tuscany to the Italian Alps. The mafia mystique of some in the Italian-American community especially in New York City adds to the backdrop of gang warfare between Italian-Americans and Puerto Ricans in the Big Apple. This West Side Story is both a real microcosm of ethnic life and ethnic struggle in America and yet a romanticized portrayal of inner-city existence. It is this romanticized reality that makes West Side Story such a transcendent yet earthy story that has shaped much of our consciousness on what it means to live the life of an immigrant, the life of an American. Since we are all either immigrants or descendants of immigrants to America, we can all identify with the story of West Side Story. This current production traveling the country does not disappoint the public’s high expectations to deliver that which we already know and that which we would still like to learn.In this production, the dancing is dynamic (in the tradition of Jerome Robbins, the original choreographer), the acting audacious, and the singing superior. Addison Reid Coe gives a convincing performance as Tony while Mary Joanna Grisso is a stellar Maria. Michelle Alves shines as Anita and Andres Acosta delights as Bernardo. A taste of local West Side flavor is provided by Scranton-native, Theo Lencicki as Riff, who gives a brilliant performance. The entire cast is to be commended for a production that stays true to original form while incorporating some new elements such as Spanish lyrics.

The address for Broadway Theatre League is 345 North Washington Avenue Scranton, PA 18503 !!!!