Theatre History Lecture: West Side Story

Theatre History Lecture: West Side Story

You won't want to miss this interesting discussion about the history behind the famous musical, West Side Story! Join AARP Virginia and attendees from across the U.S. for a free virtual event on Friday, March 18, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. ET  - AARP membership not required.

REGISTER HERE

West Side Story, a retelling of Romeo and Juliet in a world of urban gang violence, revolutionized the Broadway musical in terms of its plot, music, and integration of dance. The 1957 play was made into an award-winning film musical in 1961 and can now be seen in a new film directed by Steven Spielberg. This talk by musical aficionado, Dan Sherman will view the musical's creation, discuss its innovations, and describe its performance history using a mix of audio and video clips, including those featuring the work's creators -- Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins, and Arthur Laurents.

Dan Sherman is a retired economist who found his passion in teaching adult education courses on theatre and opera to a wide variety of groups throughout the Washington D.C. area and Williamsburg.

Join AARP Virginia for engaging free lectures by national scholars offered by the Lifelong Learning Institute at Virginia Tech. LLI at VT provides intellectual, cultural, and social experiences for curious adults 50 and older in the New River Valley and beyond. AARP Virginia is excited to collaborate with them to provide a free sampling of their Spring offerings to AARP members!

Sign up for just this one, or all four complimentary lectures. You’ll be sent the Zoom webinar link to attend 24 hours prior to the event. If you register but miss the lecture, you can watch the recording at later time.