From April 4-6, the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Building auditorium stage will be lit as students perform their rendition of the famous musical: “West Side Story.”
West Side Story follows the forbidden romance of two teenagers from rival New York street gangs. The play is a modern take on Romeo and Juliet full of the familiar love and tragedy the original has to offer.
“We are so screen-driven right now that this musical presents the opportunity to see something that is 100 percent live,” said Bruce Smith, dean of Jones College School of Art, Music, and Performance. “There are no do-overs, no outtakes, the audience sees everything, mistakes and all. The opportunity to experience an unedited and authentic performance, that is hard to come by these days.”
Since the beginning of January, the members of Jones On Stage have been working everyday not only on their performance, but to completely hand-make the set as well.
“We’re all one big team,” said Daniel Baldwin, who plays the lead male character Tony. “We’re only as strong as our weakest member, so we really strive to make sure everyone is reaching their fullest potential.”
Entry fee is $10 for regular seating and $15 for premium seats, which are located in the first few front rows. Students can purchase their tickets at www.jcjc.edu/tickets, with the code “bobcatfamily” to get half off. Tickets are still available, both online and at the door, but are selling very quickly, so be sure to buy them as soon as possible.
This event will be open three nights, 7 p.m. on April 4, 5 and 2 p.m. on April 6.
For more information, contact the Jones College School of Art, Music and Performance office at (601)477-4203. Baldwin encourages everyone to come out and see the performance.
by Jane Moss
