Army during world war ii, laurents turned to writing for broadway, producing a body of work that includes west side story 1957, gypsy 1959, and hallelujah, baby. The story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, a multiracial, bluecollar neighborhood. When they first conceived the show in 1949, robbins, bernstein and laurents set their story on the east side of manhattan, and gave it the working title east side story. Arthur laurents has 27 books on goodreads with 6988 ratings. It was inspired by william shakespeare s play romeo and juliet. Applause booksbest known for the hit musicals west side story and gypsy, arthur laurents began his career writing socially minded plays such as home of the brave and time of the cuckoo. Irving shulman 191995 was a novelist and screenwriter, known for his depictions of urban life. Arthur laurentss most popular book is romeo and juliet and west side story. West side story is a musical with a book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein and lyrics by stephen sondheim. West side story is a 1961 american musical romantic drama film directed by robert wise and jerome robbins.
Five decades after west side story debuted at the national theatre in washington, d. Arthur laurents books list of books by author arthur laurents. Say his name, and images of west side story, gypsy, anastasia, the turning point, and the way we were appear. Playwright and screenwriter who wrote the book for west side story. It was inspired by william shakespeares play romeo and juliet.
West side story revisited, west side story, arthur laurents. Buy west side story by laurents, arthur, sondheim, stephen isbn. For leonard bernstein music, arthur laurents book, sondheim and. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In the design of west side story he has powerful allies. Arthur laurents is the author of musical plays such as west side story, gypsy, anyone can whistle, do i hear a. This gutsy new west side story is unlike any youve seen and its exhilarating. From the mambo craze of the 1950s to the works ongoing permeation of popular culture, wells looks at the myriad ways in. Both west side story and gypsy were nominated for a tony award for best musical. This is a story about two enemy gang groups, the sharks and the jets, who live in new york city in the late 1950s. Gypsy, west side story and other musicals, published in 2009, in which he discussed. West side story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, an ethnic, bluecollar neighborhood in the early 1960s, much of the neighborhood was cleared in an urban renewal project for the lincoln center, which changed the neighborhoods character. May 06, 2011 both west side story and gypsy were nominated for a tony award for best musical. Original 1959 road program from west side story s first american tour.
He is the author of original story by, his first autobiography, and the rest of the story. Laurents, who wrote the books for the musicals west side story and. Playwrightdirector arthur laurents, who wrote the books for the musicals west side story and gypsy, directed the broadway revival of west side story now on tour. The leader of the jets whites riff doesnt the leader of the sharks. Feb 20, 2020 this gutsy new west side story is unlike any youve seen and its exhilarating.
The rivalry is between puerto ricans and americans. West side story hardcover january 1, 1966 by arthur laurents author 2. Random house firm, the feud between two new york teenage gangs abruptly ends the brief happiness shared by maria, a puerto rican girl, and tony, a member of the jets. Arthur laurents, arthur levine, american playwright, director, and screenwriter born july 14, 1917, brooklyn, n. Romeo and juliet and west side story book by william. West side story and gypsy would figure in most historians top 10 stage musicals indeed, gypsy is often cited as having the best book of any. The rest of the story by arthur laurents goodreads. Nigel simeone begins by exploring the long process of creating west side story, including a discussion of bernsteins sketches, early drafts of the score and. Arthur laurents s most popular book is romeo and juliet and west side story. Gypsy, west side story and other musicals, published in 2009, in which he discussed musicals he directed and the work of other directors he admired. The musical explores the rivalry between the jets and the sharks, two teenage. Robbins, who would go on to direct the film with wise, served as choreographer and came up with the original concept of a modern musical update of william shakespeares romeo and juliet. Arthur laurents, leonard bernstein, stephen sondheim, jerome. With video cameras and new dances and faces, ivo van hove.
Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. One of the broadway musicals that can genuinely claim to have transformed the genre, west side story has been featured in many books on broadway, but it has yet to be the focus of a scholarly monograph. Arthur laurents 19172011, a playwright, screenwriter, and director, wrote two of broadways landmark shows, gypsy and west side story, and created one of hollywoods most wellknown romances, the way we were. The creators of west side story were a restless crew all gay or bisexual, none of them publicly out in the censorious 1950s. Laurents eventually won the award for the less wellknown hallelujah, baby.
Say his name, and images of west side story, gypsy, anastasia, the turning point, and the way we were. Arthur laurents has 27 books on goodreads with 6983 ratings. Arthur laurents, the playwright, screenwriter and director who wrote and ultimately transformed two of broadways landmark shows, gypsy and west side story. Romeo and juliet west side story by william shakespeare. Jerome robbins, arthur laurents below ladder, carol lawrence and larry. Army during world war ii, laurents turned to writing for broadway, producing a body of work that includes west side story. The memoirs of director, playwright, and screenwriter, arthur laurents, best known for gypsy, west side story, anastasia, the turning point, and more. His credits included the stage musicals west side story and gypsy and the film the way we were. West side story, music by leonard bernstein, lyrics by stephen sondheim, book by arthur laurents. West side story leonard bernstein, arthur laurents, stephen sondheim snippet view 1958. The book west side story written by arthur laurents is set in the mid 1950s, created as modern version of shakespeares romeo and juliet. Easy, yet greatsounding arrangements of eight songs from one of the most beloved musicals of all time. Get the best deal by comparing prices from over 100,000 booksellers.
Its not a revival, says arthur laurents, 90, its original librettist and the man behind the latest production. Discover book depositorys huge selection of arthur laurents books online. Cultural perspectives on an american musical, wells presents a major scholarly study of the famous american musical west side story, viewing the work from cultural, historical, and musical perspectives. One last time, arthur laurents speaks out hartford courant. He is the author of ten books, including the novels the amboy dukes, cry tough, and the square trap, which were all adapted into movies. He is the author of original story by, his first autobiography. Book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein, lyrics by stephen. Books by arthur laurents author of west side story edition. There are some major differences between the two works. Arthur laurents july 14, 1917 may 5, 2011 was an american playwright, stage director and. West side story is a play that was on broadway and also made into a book and a movie. Directing is only one of several issues the venerable directordramatist discusses in fascinating, detailed dissections of gypsy and, to a lesser extent, west side story a few other musicals get inspected, too, by someone who should know of what he writes. See all books authored by arthur laurents, including gypsy, and west side story vocal score, and more on.
Here is the original story of a true original, the celebrated and internationally renowned director, playwright and screenwriter arthur laurents, whose creative genius continues to energize american stage and screen today. From arthur laurents, playwright, screenwriter, directora mesmerizing book about theater, the art, the artist, the insider, the outsiderand the making of two of the greatest musicals of the american stage, west side story and gypsy. Applause booksbest known for the hit musicals west side story and gypsy, arthur laurents began his career writing socially minded plays such as home of the. Over six decades in the theater, arthur laurents who wrote the celebrated books to gypsy and west side story has earned a reputation for honesty. Prejudices in the west side story by arthur laurents essay. Playwright and screenwriter who wrote the books for west side story and gypsy the playwright and screenwriter arthur laurents wrote the books.
We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. Arthur laurents was an american playwright, librettist, stage director, and screenwriter. Arthur laurents july 14, 1917 may 5, 2011 was an american playwright, stage director and screenwriter after writing scripts for radio shows after college and then training films for the u. West side story, the movie, was produced in 1961, featured natalie wood as maria, and was directed by robert wise and jerome robbins. This play is about to rivial gangs fighting over a street. None other than the man who wrote west side story s script or book, the man directing this revival. May 06, 2011 arthur laurents, the playwright, screenwriter and director who wrote and ultimately transformed two of broadways landmark shows, gypsy and west side story, and created one of. He was a writer, known for rope 1948, the turning point 1977 and west side story 1961. Arthur laurents has written the story of two hostile teenage gangs fighting for supremacy amid the tenement houses, corner stores and bridges of the west side. Arthur laurents is the author of musical plays such as west side story, gypsy, anyone can whistle, do i hear a waltz. Robbins, who would go on to direct the film with robert wise, served as choreographer and came up with the original concept of a modern musical update of william shakespeares romeo and juliet. He was a writer, known for rope 1948, the turning point 1977 and west side story.
Arthur laurents american playwright, director, and. Plot summary west side story is a novel written by arthur laurents, based on the broadway musical of the same name. Two perennial classicswilliam shakespeares romeo and juliet and the broadway musical west side story in a single volume. West side story, book by arthur laurents, music by leonard. Terms of use west side story film 1961 metrogoldwynmayer studios inc. Arthur laurents, leonard bernstein, stephen sondheim, jerome robbins.
It was inspired by william shakespeares play romeo and juliet the story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, a multiracial, bluecollar neighborhood. Mar, 2009 in the fifties, with west side story and gypsy, arthur laurents made theatrical history. Playwright and screenwriter who wrote the books for. Gypsy, west side story, and other musicals borzoi books arthur laurents.
Based on the 1957 broadway musical with book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein, and lyrics by stephen sondheim. West side story is a romantic tragedy about two characters that are supposedly completely different and arent accepted when they fall in love. Arthur laurents was born on july 14, 1918 in brooklyn, new york city, new york, usa as arthur levine. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. He died on may 5, 2011 in manhattan, new york city. Plot summary of west side story by arthur laurents bartleby. West side story book by irving shulman official publisher. Arthur laurents books list of books by author arthur. A musical jerome, based on a conception by, book by arthur laurents, music by leo robbins on. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a trace of use. The story is a powerful one, partly, no doubt, because mr. From the mambo craze of the 1950s to the works ongoing permeation of popular culture, wells looks at the myriad ways in which this canonic musical. Laurents has deliberately given it the shape of romeo and juliet. Play eatteaate the play, west side story, was written by arthur laurents.
437 1200 1394 1440 742 741 1289 53 1249 655 884 1390 1373 1111 885 1361 275 994 762 642 1245 933 318 1253 1008 1344 250 1494 373 635 1147 1289 659 973 1028