Tonight

Monday morning, as the 1961 vs the 2021 West Side Story movie buffs argue, let’s go back to the glorious original Broadway theater cast of Carol Lawrence and Larry Kert. Certainly no one better than they were. Here they are in a tv appearance on Ed Sullivan, about 1958. Unfortunately, this YouTube version ends early, but some is better than none…

Thanks to YouTuber The Ed Sullivan Show

That Musical About The Two Rival NYC Gangs…

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A delicious parody of West Side Story with Will Ferrell and his SNL compatriots.

Thanks to YouTuber

Quintet

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Monday morning, The Jets, The Sharks, Tony, Maria, and Anita get ready for the big night. Lucky them to have the Bernstein/Sondheim music to prepare to. Still the best score from an American musical in my opinion.

Thanks to YouTuber John Long

Lenny Lets Loose

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Monday morning, Leonard Bernstein conducts his own Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.

Favorite Bernstein moment: 18:01

Thanks to YouTuber karaberu

Evolution of a Classic Song: Leonard Bernstein’s “Tonight”

 

playbillwss

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Listen as musical composer and commentator Rob Kapilow deconstructs Bernstein’s masterpiece, “Tonight,” from West Side Story. Utilizing  the revisions of the song from Bernstein’s archives, Kapilow explains, musical phrase by phrase, how the song is constructed, and why it works so well. It’s a fascinating exegesis and all the more wonderful for the heavenly singing of Sally Wilfert and Michael Winther as Maria and Tony.

As the cherry on top, after Kapilow’s close explication, Wilfert and Winther get to sing the song through, uninterrupted.

This enlightening demonstration was just one of several bonuses the audience was treated to at this month’s Everything Old is New Again Live cabaret performance, David Kenney’s monthly fundraiser for radio station WBAI 99.5 FM NYC at The Metropolitan Room. The next live show is March 6th; until then, keep happy by listening to David’s show every Sunday night from 9-11pm, at WBAI.org.

Click on the grey triangle above to hear Kapilow and company.