Theatre review: CTORA shows off triple-threat chops in gripping West Side Story
Moving into ambitious new territory, the company meets the many challenges of the Broadway classic and its still-relevant message
West Side Story. Photo by Canna Zhou
CTORA Productions presents West Side Story at the Granville Island Stage to May 24
FROM THE WHISTLES in the “Prologue” to the haunting final visual, CTORA’s West Side Story is a stunning production of the iconic Broadway musical.
Telling a story about young love set amid an ethnically divisive street-gang war between the “American” Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks in 1950s New York, West Side Story continues to be relevant. Despite that, pulling it off is a huge challenge given the triple-threat skills, culturally appropriate casting, and expertise needed to fit all the pieces together.
Under the direction of Chris Adams, CTORA’s version has it all—and with room to spare, as demonstrated during opening weekend, when one of the key players (Sayer Roberts, set to play Tony) was out with illness, and understudy Colton Fyfe stepped in with little notice. Were it not for the preshow announcement, one might have been unaware of this emergency tactic.
Inspired by Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story focuses on the romance between Tony, a young American-born man of Polish descent, and Maria, a recent arrival from Puerto Rico. At the performance of this review, the connection between Fyfe and Cassandra Consiglio, as Maria, was riveting from the moment the two locked eyes at “The Dance at the Gym”. Their affection for each other continued to radiate throughout, including in an endearing dress shop scene where they imagine their wedding, as well as in the iconic Romeo and Juliet balcony–like scene, where the two sing “Tonight”.
Consiglio’s nightingale-like soprano voice brings out the beauty and emotion of Leonard Bernstein’s score, especially in the poignant “I Have a Love”. What’s more, Consiglio’s Maria is wise—you can see her weighing every thought. Because of this, every word, action, and note from her is meaningful. Whether on purpose or not, many of these qualities match Fyfe’s portrayal of Tony. Fyfe is introspective in his deliveries of “Something’s Coming” and “Maria”, as if in a world of his own, and it makes for a believable relationship between Tony and Maria—two young lovers motivated by their thoughts and emotions above all else.
It’s common knowledge that West Side Story is an incredibly dance-driven show. Thankfully, CTORA choreographer Suzanne Ouelette and assistant choreographer/dance captain Jennifer Lynch have re-created legend Jerome Robbins’s original choreography and scored the right dancers to deliver it, led by dynamite triple threats Josh Graetz as Riff, Nicole Laurent as Anita, and Vicente Sandoval as Bernardo.
Graetz sets the tone for the show, soaring across the stage with commanding presence and agility in the “Prologue”, showing prowess that’s repeated in numbers such as “The Dance at the Gym” and “Cool”. He finds the money spot in making his dancing, singing, and acting project throughout the theatre while maintaining believability. Matching this is Laurent, who brings down the house with her dance moves in “The Dance at the Gym” and “America”, alongside her sassy singing and characterization. Like Graetz, her character is also believably human and flawed, and she delivers some compelling moments in the second act.
Maria’s protective brother Bernardo is sometimes portrayed as a villain, but Sandoval does a lot to humanize him, as in a scene at Doc’s drugstore, where he shows his vulnerability as he struggles not to crack under pressure. A nice surprise in this production is the performance of Holly Collis Handford as Anybodys, the often-rejected Jet who’s usually relegated to the sidelines. Here, Collis Handford sings a beautiful rendition of “Somewhere”, accompanied by a group of gorgeous contemporary ballet dancers.
Under the masterful musical direction of Kevin Woo, a 14-piece band brings Bernstein’s score to life, overcoming the spatial challenge of the Granville Island Stage by situating itself outside the theatre, in the Backstage Lounge. Hearing Bernstein’s entire score played by a fulsome band that includes strings, brass, and reeds is a rare treat.
This production truly transports you into the action. You can feel the tension threatening to explode in “Cool”, the fun of being in on the jokes in “Gee, Officer Krupke” (superbly led in this performance by swing Jaren Guerreiro), and moments of exhilarating joy in “America”, led by Laurent and her fierce Sharks girls.
The ability of CTORA’s West Side Story to lift you onto its roller coaster of emotions is what makes the story’s message so gripping and moving. For CTORA, known for lighthearted children’s shows such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Wizard of Oz, West Side Story was a foray into ambitious new territory. It’s exciting to see CTORA stretch so well, and it will be exciting to see how the company continues to evolve. 
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