PAGE 8 — THE PUBLIC OPINION — WESTERVILLE, OHIO — MAY 9,1985

‘West Side Story’ opens today at collegeThis year’s annual spring

musical production at Otter- bein College, “West Side Story,” co-sponsored by the Otterbein College Theatre and the Department of Music, opens today and runs through Sunday, May 12, at Cowan Hall.

The three evening perfor­mances are set for 8:15 p.m., with a special matinee on Sunday at 2;30 p.m. Tickets are available at the Cowan Hall box office from 1-4:30 p.m. weekdays and for one

hour prior to each perform­ance.

According to vocal direc­tor Craig Johnson of the music faculty, “West Side Story,” a blend of song and dance, humor and tragedy, “is a real ensemble show, with much more interaction than in most musicals.

“And the music is very difficult, with more of an opera flavor,” he said, “al­though 1 feel that our cast is uniformly very strong, as strong as any I have worked

with in the past.”Area theatre-goers have

already had the opportunity of sampling the talents of Sherri Puderbaugh (Maria) in earlier Otterbein produc­tions this year. Appearing in her third straight featured role, Puderbaugh appeared as Dorothy in the Otterbein Children’s Theatre produc­tion of “The Wizard of Oz” last fall, and was heroine Lieschen in the Otterbein College Opera Theatre pro­duction of “The Coffee Can­tata” this past winter.

The role of her true love Tony will be played by Tim Gregory, who was nomi­nated by a panel of Ameri­can College Theatre judges for competition in the Irene Ryan Audition earlier this year.

The contest annually searches for the best college actors and actresses in the nation. He was recognized for his performance as the scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz.”

But the show is much more than its leading couple. In fact, according to director Ed Vaughan, of the theatre faculty, the strength of the very physical production is its youthful cast, attracted from a variety of disciplines.

including theatre, music, and dance.

Joanne VanSant, vice pre­sident of student affairs and dean of students, will chor­eograph the show which en­compasses much more than just dance.

“We try to show all the conflict and the attitudes of the characters in their every move,” she said. “These kids climb fences; they run; they jump, and make every effort to blend the movement se­quences and dances into a total unit. It’s very excit­ing.”

Scenic designer Fred J. Thayer’s multilevel tene­ment set is accented with lots of chain-link fencing, designed to capture the sense of frustration trapped in the youthful New York City gangs. And Leonard Bernstein’s masterful score, to be conducted by music faculty member David De- Venney, with its familiar melodies, will captivate audiences.

When “West Side Story” opened in New York City nearly 30 years ago, it was called “a milestone in musi­cal drama history,” and the production continues to ex­perience popularity in re­vivals around the globe.

West Side Story’s tragic tale to"West Side Story.” a tale

of gang warfare in the New York slums, remains after a quarter of century one of the glories of the American stage. It opens Thursday,

May 8. at 8:15 p.m.. in Cowan Hall at Otterbein College, produced by Otter­bein College Theatre in con­junction with the depart­ment of music.

Symphony season to endThe final concert of the

'ent season for the Wes- ^ Civic Symphony will

'unday, May 19, at 7 'van Hall on the

'liege campus, "s will be the

' Concert

ssertby

based on a passage from Milton’s "Paradise Lost.”

The orchestra will also play Symphony No. 2, the "Romantic,” by Howard Hanson.

The international dessert buffet will offer an assort­ment of dessert pastries, pettifours, and a specialty coffee station, according to Centuria Guild president Gayla Whitacre.

This concert and buffet is 'n to the entire Wester-

rea community. Ticket Mon can be obtained

mphony office in the Otterbein '637 Minerva

va Park, or •ht of the

Three evening perform­ances are set for May 9-11; there will be a matinee at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 12.

Despite its stark back­ground and a cast of hood­lums, “West Side Story” spins a rapturous story of young love. Tim Gregory (Tony) and Sherri Puder- baugh (Maria) will have the leading roles of the Ameri­can and Puerto Rican pair who fall ecstatically in love.

Jeff Kin will star as Riff, leader of the "American” gang, the Jets; Michael Cunningham will play Ber­nardo, leader of the Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks; and Catherine Randazzo is the fiery Anita, his girlfriend.

"West Side Story” has a large, youthful cast, with David Caldwell (Doc), Tod Wilson (Schrank), Gary Scott (Krupke). and James Elliott Fippin (Gladhand) as the four adults trying to cope with the scuffles and skirmishes of the teenagers.

The crowd-pleasing "Gee, Officer Krupke” number will feature Pat McRobert (Ac­tion) and the rest of the Jets, Arab (Kevin Carty), Baby

open at OtterbeinJohn (Dennis Moore), Snow Boy (Jeff Offenberger), Big Deal (Marc Foster), Diesel (Scott Willis), and Gee-Tar (David DeCooman).

Their girls will be played by Nadine Seridan (Gra- ziella), Nancy Fox (Velma), Bethany Bangeman (Minnie), Linda Cole (Clar­ice). Liana Peters (Pauline), Diane Idapence (Helen). An­drea Strom (Penny), Mary Margaret Keefer (Patty), Ruth Pettibone (Rose), and Dia Huekler (Anybody’s).

Other members of the Sharks include Chino (Gregg Kembitzky), Pepe (Todd Freeman), Indio (Steve Sal­yer), Stefano (Robert With- erow), Luis (Jerry Comer), Juano (Roy Woods), and

Roderigo (Rrian baugh).

Their girls are Rosalia (Gina Grogg), Consuelo (Christine Cox), Tersita (Anya Randall), Francisca (Bridget t Killen), Estella (Mary Rose Molinaro). Mar­garita (Stacey Ciancio), and Nina (Melanie Scott).

"West Side Story” is based on a dance conception by Jerome Robbins, with book by Arthur Laurents, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and the timeless musical score by Leonard Bernstein.

Tickets for "West Side Story” are available at the Cowan Hall box office from 1-4:30 p.m. weekdays and for one hour prior to each performance.

^or

3003 N. HIGH ST.(1 Block South of Weber)

268-3033

Monday through Saturday

9:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M.

Thursday 9:30 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.

12 goiumfaug jSigparcf) ®®fcbenbei

mesi14 t-The Jets and the Sharks are ready to rumble at Otterbein Col-

I lege, when the department of I dance and theater presents West 5/de Story at 8:15 p.m. today through Saturday with a 2:30

I matinee on Sunday in Cowa/i I Hall on the Westerville campus.^

The musical, directed by Ed Vaughan, will feature a 25-piece

I orchestra and a cast of^, headed y; sophomore Tim Grerary and ii’nior Sherri Puderbaugaas the

I young lovers,,Tony and Mafia. •I- The action will take place on a lakeletal, multi-kyel «et« created roy Fred Thayer, who uses chain- jlink fences and other desij^ fea- I tures to create the environment of an urban jungle;

Charles Dodrill, director of Otterbeih’s theater .program,'!

I was concerned that, West S/de might 1)6 “overdone,” but

yance response lor tickets.

v*r.v-.able for Sunday afternoonVpIf formance.

West Side Story will give many of Otterbein’s new dance students a chance to strut their stuff. Two years ago, Otterbein

a a^ dance minor as part of Its s^e curriculum.

_ Ti^ets for West Side Story, and 16, may be obtained by

caJJjng 890-3000, ext. 1109 or

page 4 . May 9 1985 ,

VI.

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‘West Side Story’ \ »

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If a picture is wvrth a thousand words—then this photo essay should speak for itselt. If these photos, you ^et a view from hackstage-action that many people never seem to realize—or appreciate. These pictures only tell parts (}f the story, though. Thev

detail the endless rehearsals, the late nights in the shop, or the plain tension ' involved in putting, a show together. You may see "West Side Story" this weekend,

hut the .stage is only the final re.sult of a long (and sometimes tedious) priK'ess.

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Photos by Meg ScoM

Gang warfare comes to OC

Photo by Meg Scott

File Photo!

Siimc story, different yiini:s. Although this production of “WL\sr Side Story" nmy he first for rmuiy theatre students and younger audiences, the truth is that this i^ the second Otterlxun production of the musical. Ar left are thg^ Jets^ dred 1985 and right are their 1977 counterparts. The show will be the highlight of Otterpeins Ma; Day weekend. r ' ..

Fated coupleYoung love unfolds for Puerto Rican Maria (Sherri Puder-

baugh, left) and “American” Tony (Tim Gregory, right) in spite of violent opposition from family and friends in their tenement neighborhood in Leonard Bernstein’s musical, “West Side Story.” Otterbein College Theatre, in cooper­ation with the Department of Music, will stage the classic love story in Cowan Hall Thursday, May 9, throug Saturday, May 11, at 8:15 p.m. and Sunday, May 12, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available from the Cowan Hall box office from 1-4:30 p.m. weekdays and for one hour prior to each performance.

Dispatch photo by Tim PevellSherri Pudcrbaugh and Tim Gregory star in the Otterbein College production of H'est Side Story, opening tonight. Sec theater listings.

Westerville SUBURBIA NEWS April 17,1985

Otterbeirijheatre tells ;

Otterbein CI in cooperation the col-llege’s Department of Music,I will present West Side Story, lat :i: 15 p.m. May 9-11 as well fas a matinee at 2:30 p.m.I Mav 12 in Cowan HaU on the ]‘^liege’s Wester^Ue jcam-

pus. " ,With a script by Arthur

I Laurents, a musical score by Leonard Bernstein and ly­rics by Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story deliberately follows the plot pattern of Romeo and Juliet. A star- crossed love between an American boy and a Puerto Rican girl brings with it all the heartbreak, feuding and

1 death that plagued the fami- ^ lies in Shakespeare’s tra­

gedy.The leading roles of the

large cast will be played by Sherri Puderbaugh (Maria) as the Puerto Rican heroine, and Tim Gregory (Tony) as her American sweetheart.

Ed Vaughan, of the theatre faculty at Ofterbein, is the general director of West Side Story and Joanne VanSant, Otterbein’s vice president of student affairs and dean of students, is choreographer, assisted by Ginny Adams, of Otterbein’s dance area.

David DeVeilney, director of Otterbein’s choral activ­ities, is the production’s mu­sical director, with Craig Johnson, music faculty member, serving as vocal di­rector. Fred Thayer, Otter­bein designer-technical di­

rector, has designed the pungent tenement back­ground and Lucy Lee Reuther, the school’s cos­tume designer, has created lively costumes for the young cast.

Tickets are available at the Cowan Hall box office 890-3028 beginning April 25, 1-4:30 p.m’. weekdays and for one hour prior to each per­formance.

■ May 1,1985 Westen/ille SUBURBIA NEWS

Otterbein’s JetsOtterbein College’s department of theater, in cooperation

with the department of music, will present West Side Story at 8:15 p.m. Thursday, May 9, and Saturday, May 11, as well as at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 12, in Cowan Hall. Tickets are available at the box office ( 890-3028) 1-4:30 p.m. weekdays and for one hour prior to each performance. For more Information call 890-3028.