Little Lark of London

For its final production of the 2025/2026 season, Paper Mill Playhouse is putting on West Side Story, running until 28 June. The show, conceived and directed by Jerome Robbins, is a Broadway classic, combining a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim to tell a story about street gangs in New York City based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Under the direction of Mark S. Hoebee, the original choreography by Robbins is reproduced for this production by Alex Sánchez. 

Those who love the original 1957 production will be pleased to know that not much has changed for this version of the show, unlike some more recent revivals. Audience members are introduced to two rival street gangs in the West Side of New York City, the Sharks and the Jets, and the consequences of a former Jet, Tony (Noah Henry), falling in love with Maria (Sarah-Anne Martinez), the sister of the leader of the Sharks, Bernardo (Antony Sanchez). 

Henry gives a solid performance as Tony, with gorgeous vocals in both “Something’s Coming” and “Maria,” but he fails to show the character’s more dangerous side that landed him in prison when he was with the Jets. His friendship with Riff (Sean Harrison Jones) is nice, but his chemistry with Martinez really makes his character shine, as the two make a believable pair of star-crossed lovers. Martinez is a lovely Maria, illustrating her naivety in the beginning and letting her grow throughout the show. Mikaela Secada is a powerhouse as Bernardo’s girlfriend, Anita, getting some of the most impactful emotional scenes and one of the best numbers in the show, “America.”

There is not a single forgettable number in West Side Story, and each actor puts on a great musical performance. “Dance at the Gym” is an absolute highlight, with all of the dancers getting a chance to shine. Scenic Designer James Youmans is fully aware of the appeal of the choreography, keeping the sets simple to not distract from the performances. In numbers like “Somewhere” and “Cool,” the set pieces disappear entirely, allowing for complete focus on the dancers. While “I Feel Pretty” does not have much choreography, all of the actresses have great background acting as Maria dances around her bedroom. 

But, while the musical numbers are fantastic, the dialogue-based moments are not as strong as they could be. The scenes involving Doc (Stuart Zagnit) and Schrank (Adam Monley) have a tendency to drag, taking away from the energy pulsing throughout the show, even when tensions should be higher when Schrank confronts the gang members. There are moments that could have been more impactful with stronger acting, especially when there is meant to be tension amongst the opposing gang members, as their fights tend to simply feel catty instead of full of actual fury (though that might be expected from a show where gangs are ballet dancing across the stage). Some scenes also lose their impact when there are obvious microphone issues, with crackling and whispers being heard over the speakers.

Ultimately, West Side Story is a lovely revival of the classic that will appeal to both lifelong fans and those who don’t know their Shark from their Jet. There are many strong performances from the actors, and the musicians do a wonderful job of bringing the music of Bernstein to life. While the show may have premiered nearly seven decades ago, it remains a powerful reflection of the dividedness of the world and how one still hopes that, in the future, “there’s a place for us.”

West Side Story runs from 28 May to 28 June at Paper Mill Playhouse. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.