Here's What's Jewish About The New "West Side Story"

Who knew there were all these hidden Jewish gems?

Amblin / Via Twitter: @amblin

When I was in eighth grade, one of the plays I had to read was William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” After weeks of listening to my teacher drone on and on about the symbolism of the work (effectively making my teenage head spin), she rewarded the class with two days of rolling out the old VCR from the back of the classroom and watching her favorite interpretation of the play - “West Side Story.”

The 1961 film, with music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, a script by Arthur Laurents and choreography by Jerome Robbins (all Jews!) quickly became one of my favorite movies to watch. An old-school New York City? Incredible dance routines with fabulous costumes? A tragic love story? And who can forget Rita Moreno’s signature flair in the song “America?” I quickly became entranced and it’s always a suggestion of mine whenever someone texts me for a good movie recommendation.

In short - it’s practically begging to be loved by a new generation and inspire them.

Well, for those looking to experience a little bit of the original film’s magic, you’re in luck. A new version of the movie, currently filming and expected to be released into theaters in December 2020 (just in time for Hanukkah!) is the latest remake in an era where people are craving to go back to the classics. With all the hype coming from the cast and crew, there are little Jewish gems that people might have not noticed.

Let’s take a look at what we know about the new “West Side Story” - and its Jewish nods:

A legendary Jewish director is attached to the film.

IMDB / Via imdb.com

In 2014, Fox announced that the movie company was in talks to create a new adaptation of the 1961 film. Steven Spielberg (AKA the award-winning director behind “Schindler’s List” and “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial”) and his production company, Amblin, had expressed an interest in breathing new life into the story. He’s had his eye on recreating the classic for years, telling the Hollywood Reporter in 2016 that he “has dreamt of adapting it for decades.”

A Jewish composer will be working on the music.

David Newman, son of famed Jewish composer Alfred Newman (along with being an Oscar-nominated composer and conductor for the 1997 film “Anastasia”) will be updating Bernstein’s and Sondheim’s music as a part of a team that also includes Tony-winning composer Jeanine Tesori. The iconic and beloved score seems to be something Newman is familiar with - he’s conducted screenings of the film with a live orchestra for the New York Philharmonic and at the Tanglewood Music Festival.

A Tony-Award winning Jewish playwright is adapting the screenplay.

Tony Kushner, most famous for penning the Pulitzer-winning play “Angels In America,” will be taking on the challenge of writing and adapting the screenplay, originally written by the Jewish screenwriter Arthur Laurents. His third time collaborating with Spielberg (they worked together on the films “Munich” and “Lincoln”), there have been reports that his version of the story will be closer to the 1957 Broadway production than its film counterpart. “Our version is not meant to wipe out the original film,” he told Vanity Fair in 2018. “It’s just meant to be a new interpretation.”

A young Jew will be taking on one-half of the main leads.

instagram.com

Actor Ansel Elgort (known for his roles in “The Fault In Our Stars” and “Baby Driver”) will be starring as Tony in the upcoming remake. He definitely has the musical chops to take on such an iconic role - something Spielberg and Kushner recognized in the casting process. “He’s a wonderful singer, it turns out, and a really terrific dancer,” Kushner told Vanity Fair. “Steven went with him and we’re very excited.”

Elgort is so excited to partake in the project that he surprised his onscreen other half, newcomer Rachel Zegler, at her school play soon after the casting news broke.

Seriously - who wouldn’t want a nice Jewish boy like Elgort to bring home to their mother?

We will see some members of the original film.

Amblin @amblin

Musical theater legend and WEST SIDE STORY lyricist Stephen Sondheim on set with director-producer Steven Spielberg during the production of the new film version of the original musical. Coming to theaters on December 18, 2020. #StephenSondheim #StevenSpielberg #WestSideStory

05:13 PM - 08 Jul 2019

Amblin / Via Twitter: @amblin

Rita Moreno (although not technically Jewish, she was married to one), who famously won an Oscar for her portrayal as Anita in the 1961 movie, will step back into the world of late 1950s New York City, taking on the role of Valentina. She’s also slated as one of the film’s executive producers - which makes sense, as she does have a first account of what it was like to shoot the movie over half a century ago.

And in a cool twist of events - Stephen Sondheim recently visited the set, proving that Spielberg knows that sometimes it helps to bring the big guns to work!