Richard Skipper Celebrates West Side Story with Richard Barrios (12/10/2021)

For Video Editon, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/2ICFKnhAfJ4 The making and impact of West Side Story has so far been recounted only in vestiges. In the pages of this book, the backstage tale comes to life along with insight on what has made the film a favorite across six decades: its brilliant use of dance as staged by erstwhile co-director Jerome Robbins; a meaningful story, as set to Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's soundtrack; the performances of a youthful ensemble cast featuring Natalie Wood, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, and more; a film with Shakespearean roots (Romeo and Juliet) that is simultaneously timeless and current. West Side Story was a triumph that appeared to be very much of its time; over the years it has shown itself to be eternal. Richard Barrios received degrees in both music and film history and worked in both music and film before turning his attention to writing. Still in the realm of musicals, he then directed his attention to a beloved film with WEST SIDE STORY: THE JETS, THE SHARKS, AND THE MAKING OF A CLASSIC (2020). For Busby Berkeley: Going Through the Roof, a co-production of PBS Great Performances, Turner Classic Movies, and Channel 4 (UK), Barrios was both narrator and onscreen commentator.  Barrios served as both programmer and lecturer for the film series “Musicals Before the Code.” Among the many venues where he has spoken and presented films are the 92nd Street Y in New York, the American Film Institute, the Smithsonian Institution,and the Gershwin Festival in Washington DC. https://www.amazon.com/West-Side-Story-Sharks-Classic/dp/076246948X