West Side Story - Broadway Creative Team

Leonard Bernstein was born on August 25, 1918, in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He took piano lessons as a boy and attended the Garrison and Boston Latin Schools. At Harvard University, he studied with Walter Piston, Edward Burlingame-Hill, and A. Tillman Merritt, among others. Before graduating in 1939, he made an unofficial conducting debut with his own incidental music to "The Birds," and directed and performed in Marc Blitzstein's "The Cradle Will Rock." Then at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, he studied piano with Isabella Vengerova, conducting with Fritz Reiner, and orchestration with Randall Thompson. In 1940, he studied at the ... read more Arthur Laurents was a renowned American playwright, screenwriter, and director who was born on July 14, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York. He was a prominent figure in the entertainment industry for over six decades and was widely regarded as one of the most influential playwrights of his generation. Laurents began his career in the theater as an assistant to playwrights such as Robert E. Sherwood and Moss Hart. He made his Broadway debut as a playwright in 1945 with the play "Home of the Brave," which dealt with anti-Semitism in the military. The play was a critical and commercial success and ... read more JEROME ROBBINS (born 11 October 1918 in New York City) was the younger of two children of Harry Rabinowitz, who emigrated to America from Poland in 1904, and his wife Lena Rips. Rabinowitz was at first a shopkeeper with a delicatessen on the Upper East Side of Manhattan; in the 1920’s he moved the family to Jersey City and then to Weehawken, New Jersey, where he and a brother-in-law established the Comfort Corset Company. Young Jerome, who showed an early aptitude for music, dancing, and theatrics, attended schools in Weehawken and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1935. Intending ... read more Leonard Bernstein was born on August 25, 1918, in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He took piano lessons as a boy and attended the Garrison and Boston Latin Schools. At Harvard University, he studied with Walter Piston, Edward Burlingame-Hill, and A. Tillman Merritt, among others. Before graduating in 1939, he made an unofficial conducting debut with his own incidental music to "The Birds," and directed and performed in Marc Blitzstein's "The Cradle Will Rock." Then at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, he studied piano with Isabella Vengerova, conducting with Fritz Reiner, and orchestration with Randall Thompson. In 1940, he studied at the ... read more Richard Caceres was my first ballet partner! He changed my life and supported my choice to pursue a ballet career. He passed away in the 1990s...we lost touch after the 1980s...I googled him and couldn’t find anything pictures or headshots...I finally found this one. He had an amazing career and would love to add this photo for his memory ... read more Gerald Freedman was an American theatre director, librettist, and lyricist. ... read more Pick a Stephen Sondheim Broadway premiere in the last three decades – say, Sweeney Todd or Sunday in the Park with George or Into the Woods. Who was at the podium on opening night? If you guessed Paul Gemignani, you got it right. In fact, Maestro Gemignani has been a distinguished and constant presence in musical theater for the last forty years. In 2001 he was honored with a Special Lifetime Achievement Tony Award®. Significantly, for an artist so closely associated with Sondheim, Gemignani made his Broadway debut as a conductor in Sondheim’s Follies (1971), taking over the role of music ... read more Stewart F. Lane is a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, director, and author. He was born on March 16, 1947, in New York City, and grew up in Great Neck, Long Island. Lane attended the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He later earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater from Columbia University. Lane began his career in the entertainment industry as an actor, appearing in off-Broadway productions and regional theater. ... read more Ruth Mitchell is a renowned American actress and singer who has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry. Born in New York City, Mitchell grew up with a love for the arts and started performing in community theater at a young age. She went on to study theater at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she honed her craft and developed her unique style. Mitchell made her Broadway debut in 1995 in the hit musical "Rent." She played the role of Mimi Marquez, a struggling young artist who falls in love with the character Roger. Mitchell's ... read more Ramin was an orchestrator, arranger, and composer, who won an Oscar and a Grammy for his work on the film version of West Side Story. He was also one of the three orchestrators on the original Broadway production of the show. Though West Side Story may be the most notable, Ramin also worked on many other Broadway shows such as Wonderful Town (1953), Say, Darling (1958), Gypsy (1959), The Girls Against the Boys (1959), Vintage '60 (1960), Wildcat (1960), The Conquering Hero (1961), Kwamina (1961), I Can Get It for You Wholesale (1962), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to ... read more JEROME ROBBINS (born 11 October 1918 in New York City) was the younger of two children of Harry Rabinowitz, who emigrated to America from Poland in 1904, and his wife Lena Rips. Rabinowitz was at first a shopkeeper with a delicatessen on the Upper East Side of Manhattan; in the 1920’s he moved the family to Jersey City and then to Weehawken, New Jersey, where he and a brother-in-law established the Comfort Corset Company. Young Jerome, who showed an early aptitude for music, dancing, and theatrics, attended schools in Weehawken and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1935. Intending ... read more Oliver Smith was a Tony Award-winning scenic designer who left an indelible mark on Broadway. Born in Waupun, Wisconsin in 1918, Smith attended the University of Wisconsin before moving to New York City in the early 1940s. He began his career as a dancer and actor, performing in several Broadway shows before transitioning to set design. Smith's first Broadway credit as a scenic designer was for the 1948 production of "High Button Shoes." He quickly became known for his innovative and visually stunning designs, collaborating with some of the biggest names in the theater world. He worked on over 50 Broadway ... read more