Review: WEST SIDE STORY Entertains at the Woodlawn Theatre

WEST SIDE STORY is a classic musical that audiences have been enjoying for many decades. When one hears songs by Leonard Bernstein and Stephan Sondheim such as "Tonight" or "Somewhere," you are immediately drawn into the story of love and hate that exists between two groups of people who have more in common than they would like to admit. The Woodlawn Theatre in San Antonio's latest production of WEST SIDE STORY represented the true spirit of the play as local actors took to the stage in San Antonio's latest production. Director and choreographer, Christopher Rodriguez seemed to capture the true feeling of WEST SIDE STORY as the show played out. Benjamin Grabill's set design added to the overall feeling of the show as scenery flowed on and off of the stage. Having said all that, the most important aspect of the play had to be the performers themselves who did an outstanding job in roles they played. Mariela Flor Olivio portrayed Maria in a marvelous manner and sang with such conviction and passion. As Mariela sang "Tonight" and "I Feel Pretty," her vocal perfection shone brightly. Kyle Krambeck as Tony gave a commanding performance himself as he blended with Mariela's voice in "One Hand, One Heart" and "Somewhere." Alyssa Lopez as Anita was another stunning standout in this production. The only sort of negative thing about the show would be that the orchestra sometimes drowned out the singers onstage and it made it difficult to understand the lyrics. But, the orchestra themselves were topnotch and the talents were evident.

WEST SIDE STORY plays at The Woodlawn Theatre on the weekends until September 8, 2015. Get your tickets by going onto their website and ordering yours.