Street gangs, sassy finger snapping and Puerto Rican girls in whirling skirts -- these are the things that stand out in one's memory from Leonard Bernstein's famous musical West Side Story. Then you have the iconic kiss on the balcony between lead characters Tony and Maria, not to mention the hit songs themselves -- Tonight, Somewhere, America and I Feel Pretty, to name a few.
The musical just reached its 60th anniversary. So what better way to celebrate than by revisiting the world-class show to bring back memories of the good old days?
The best way to enjoy the show might be to go back to where it began in New York City. But those who can't make it to New York need not feel left out -- the show is hitting the road and making its way to Asia as part of a world tour. Thailand is one of the few lucky countries to get a chance to see it.
Sittikun Boon-itt, vice-president of International Cultural Promotions, is the man behind the Bangkok International Dance and Music Festival, an event that's been annually held for 19 years now. He is also responsible for bringing West Side Story to Bangkok, one of several Broadway shows he has delivered to Thailand.
What makes this particular take on the classic musical special is the fact it features the award-winning staging of director Joey McKneely. It is also the only production in the world to feature choreography from a former colleague of the legendary Jerome Robbins.
After performing at several European stops, the company will head to Bangkok as well as Auckland, Dubai, Hong Kong, Manila, Muscat, Singapore and Tokyo, among other places.
While a production of West Side Story ran for one week in Bangkok 11 years ago, Mr Sittikun insists the latest show will be enjoyable no matter how many times patrons have seen it before.
"The show debuted on Broadway in 1957 and each generation since has interpreted it in their own way based on their cultural background and knowledge," explained Mr Sittikun.
"The cast that will perform in Bangkok for the world tour are from a younger generation and have a high level of achievement in the industry. So they will interpret their roles from a different perspective. I'm certain the audience will get a different experience every time they see it.
"What make this show very special is the fact that this company features the work of somebody who collaborated with Jerome Robbins, the original choreographer of West Side Story. The lead actor and actress are also people to watch as they graduated from top performing arts schools and have been a part of many world famous musicals on Broadway before." The cast and crew headed to Bangkok has 33 members, 10 of whom play the main characters. The casting process was conducted entirely in New York City.
The musical's set fills seven large containers that are ported around to recreate the iconic set. Mr Sittikun says that the production team built their own set, leaving or borrowing some parts at different tour stops. The set will be assembled by specialists and lighting technicians who are trained to recreate Broadway's standards.
Martin Flohr, the show's executive producer and artistic director, says the story has an enduring appeal for its universality. "West Side Story is more relevant than ever," he says. "If we look at the world today, we are still facing the same challenges -- people trying to relate to their heritage but trying to fit into new circumstances. On the other side, there is love. We all remember our first love -- the first kiss, first time to hold hands, the butterflies. This is something every generation discovers for itself."
Neal Murata, the cultural attache for the US embassy in Bangkok, says that West Side Story is a canonical work of American musical theatre with timeless appeal.
"Though West Side Story was written and set in the 1950s, the story is designed to transcend time," said Mr Murata. "It was written drawing upon themes of Romeo and Juliet. The tale is kind of the same story but it is set in a different time and space.
"The US is like many countries in the world with racial diversity. West Side Story does a very good job of telling that -- though there are racial divides in our country, we are still American. It touches on the question of what it really means to be an American."
The musical may have been redone plenty times before, but there's always something new to experience with every fresh rendition. The story is universal, but it's also deeply telling of American history and culture.
Musical theatre is a powerful tool for teaching audiences about American culture. Mr Murata says that it will offer Thai youth an engaging way to learn about the US.
Set in New York City in the late 1950s, the musical explores the rivalry between two teenage street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, of different ethnic backgrounds.
The US embassy is hopeful that the musical will appeal to Thai audiences.
"Thailand has a tremendous appreciation for the arts and I am thrilled that the US embassy could assist in bringing a musical with a universal message to unify people of different backgrounds," said US ambassador Glyn Davies.
Mr Sittikun says he has observed an increasing number of youth interested in performing arts.
"We've received many bookings from international schools in Bangkok and I see this as an opportunity to introduce performing arts and musical theatre to the Thai youth," said Mr Sittikun. "So I talked with some sponsors to donate to the charity that will bring some underprivileged and disabled youth to come see the show for free."
The US embassy has also sought to popularise the art form through the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative's alumni. Alongside current members, the 50 selected alumni get to see West Side Story as part of a cultural learning experience.
Since this type of performance is not financially accessible to everyone, the US embassy has put added effort into ensuring as many people as possible can see the show.
"Musical theatre has much more power than what you can find in any other form of pop culture," said Mr Murata. "When you combine stories of love and broken hearts with dance and choreography, it captivates young people's attention and makes them learn. We want to use the musical as a mechanism for social change and this is what we are trying to introduce to our youth."
To enjoy not only the entertainment but educational value of the show, Mr Sittikun advises audience members to learn about the history of the musical before.
"The music is also another important part of the show," he added. "If you know the songs before you come to see the full performance, it will help you enjoy the story more and it will give you the best experience."
West Side Story will be performed only in English, but those who don't understand English will still be able to enjoy the show.
"Music has the ability to transcend language barriers," said Mr Murata. "The combination of music and dance can speak more loudly than spoken language. It has a visual language, which also sends a message to audiences. You don't have to understand everything that they say on stage to be able to enjoy the show. You can just come and watch the spectacle with its stunning set, dresses, dance and story."
West Side Story will be performed at Thailand Cultural Centre from next Thursday to Sunday.
