Alex Bernstein Discusses Father's WEST SIDE STORY at International Thespian Festival

West Side Story, is a perennial favorite, partly because it's inspired by Romeo and Juliet. The musical, with concept and choreography by Jerome Robbins, book by Arthur Laurents, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and music by Leonard Bernstein, debuted on Broadway 50 years ago and was most recently revived in 2009. It was also a hit movie released in 1961.

Now, it is being published in a version that high schools can perform. And Alex Bernstein, son of the composer and a renowned educator, will share his insights with drama students and their teachers at the International Thespian Festival (ITF). He'll be participating in a panel with John Prignano from Music Theatre International, which has just published the school edition; Marty Johnson of iTheatrics; and Holly Stanfield, a theatre educator and director of Thespian Troupe 4982 at Bradford High School, Kenosha, Wisconsin, which debuted this edition of the work in fall 2016. The panel will share behind-the-scenes details about the process of bringing this musical masterpiece to the school stage.

Close to home

After the school edition premiere, Stanfield and her school experienced a real-life tragedy involving a student stabbing at the school. The weekend following this trauma in April, 2017, Stanfield's troupe was presenting the Hunchback of Notre Dame. She said, "Audiences found it healing to witness the talents and passion of the students who were telling the story of the hunchback. It helped, she added, for all to be part of a normal school activity. "

Students get up close and personal with the creative talent behind favorite musicals

The panel on West Side Story is one of three all-star panel discussions mounted exclusively at ITF by the publishers of popular works which are relatively new for high school productions.

ITF, taking place in Lincoln, Nebraska June 19-24, is a celebration of student achievement in the performing arts, and is produced by the Educational Theatre Association and attended by more than 4,000 students and teachers. Not only do the participants get the thrill of performing before their peers from around the world, they also get a week's worth of immersion in educational opportunities during more than 200 workshops, master classes, and panel discussions.

The other all-star panels are:

Heathers The Musical (High School Edition) published by Samuel French

Moderated by iTheatrics' Marty Johnson, this panel features creators Laurence O'Keefe and Kevin Murphy, plus Heather Biddle, director of the JJ Pearce theatre and Thespian troupe 6896, Richardson, Texas where Heathers The Musical (High School Edition) debuted. Topics will include adapting the mature content of an Off-Broadway hit for high schools, just how audiences (and school boards) reacted to its premiere, and the important role of contemporary musicals in today's high schools.

For those not at ITF, Samuel French will also be live streaming on Thursday June 22 at 3 p.m. and again at 5 p.m. @SamuelFrenchNYC

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, published by Disney Theatrical Licensing

Featuring educators and Thespian troupe directors: Jennifer Hemme, Troupe 5134, Green Valley High School, Henderson, Nevada; and EdTA Hall of Fame members Jeff Hall, Troupe 5575, Jesuit High School, Portland, Oregon; and Holly Stanfield, Troupe 4982, Bradford High School, Kenosha, Wisconsin who have directed pilot productions of the show. They will discuss the creative process, what goes into creating a new piece of musical theatre, and staging the show in a high school environment. Also participating will be Jane Abramson, senior manager of creative development for Disney Theatrical Productions, and David Scott, who with Abramson is co-founder of the Two Turns Theatre Company in New York.

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