Assimilation, Immigration, and the Dance-Nation within West Side Story

“West Side Story” is making its way to the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn this May and we could not be more excited. If you’re unfamiliar with the classic tale, we suggest you buckle up and get ready for an evening of music you’ll be singing all the way home, and likely for the foreseeable future.

Chances are you’ve already heard the most famous songs whether you’ve seen the musical or not. “I Feel Pretty,” “Somewhere,” and “America” have solidified their status in the pop culture zeitgeist.

With music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents, this unforgettable classic captures the thrilling passion of first love and the heartbreak of a world divided. Set in 1950s New York, the musical is a reimagining of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It would seem that these themes still resonate with audiences over 400 years later.

Today, Jersey Arts speaks with actors Antony Sanchez, who plays Bernardo, and Kyra Sorce who plays Consuelo in the upcoming Paper Mill production. Stay tuned for an exhilarating chat about the behind-the-scenes of building West Side Story.

Thanks for listening!

• Subscribe to The Jersey Arts Podcast in your favorite podcast player.

The Jersey Arts Podcast is one medium of Feature Stories on Discover Jersey Arts (jerseyarts.com), where articles and videos also cover New Jersey’s vibrant arts and entertainment scene.

Discover Jersey Arts is presented by ArtPride New Jersey. The program was co-founded by, and is currently supported by funds from, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Additional support for JerseyArts.com content is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.

• Subscribe to the Discover Jersey Arts' weekly e-newsletter to have stories delivered to your inbox.
• Follow and contact us @jerseyarts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

Transcript

Why West Side Story Endures

Gina Marie Rodriguez 0:02

This is Gina Marie Rodriguez, and you're listening to the Jersey Arts podcast. If you're a Sondheim fan like me, get ready to geek out together. West Side Story is making its way to the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn this May. And I could not be more excited. If you're unfamiliar with the classic tale, I suggest you buckle up and get ready for an evening of music you'll be singing all the way home, and likely for the foreseeable future. Chances are you've already heard the most famous songs, whether you've seen the musical or not. I Feel Pretty, Somewhere, and America have solidified their status in the pop culture Zeitgeist. With music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Steven Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Lawrence, this unforgettable classic captures the thrilling passion of first love and the heartbreak of a world divided. Set in 1950s New York, the musical is a reimagining of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Funny how little has changed. It would seem that these themes still resonate with audiences over 400 years later. Today I have the pleasure of speaking with actors Anthony Sanchez, who plays Bernardo, and Kira Sorce, who plays Consuelo in the upcoming Paper Mill production. So stay tuned for an exhilarating chat about the behind the scenes of Building West Side Story.

What A Dance Captain Really Does

Gina Marie Rodriguez 1:18

I am so excited to meet you guys. West Side Story is one of my top shows. So this is going to be a fun conversation for me watching speak out about it. I know that this is a dance-heavy show, and I know practically nothing about dance. So I want to ask you some questions about that. Especially for Kira since you're the dance captain. What is that responsibility to be a captain? Can you break down that role for me, what that means?

Kyra Sorce 1:47

Oh, yes. So being a dance captain, essentially, Alex, our choreographer, has an associate. And so him and Alexa are gonna set the show. And it's my job during rehearsals to just kind of digest what they're saying as far as texture, what they want is quality, as well as picking up all of the choreography. And so I'm just listening for the most part, taking in the notes. Things are gonna change, and that's okay. We just staying flexible, and you know, people are gonna move spacing and you know, different steps or what foot we're on is gonna get all cleaned up. So it's just like a lot of grace and temperance during the rehearsal process, which is cool. It takes a really specific type of person to be that open and that flexible. And then once Alex and Alexa leave the process, the show and the integrity of the dance and the spacing and the timing is all in my hands. So I'm in charge of everybody who does a dance step, that step, their spacing, the understudies that we're gonna put in, teaching that all the choreo back onto those understudies with the same integrity, spacing, timing as everybody else. So we can just have a really clean, full show.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 2:56

That's amazing. And I, whenever I talk to um, you know, fight captains or dance captains, it's always insane to me that you're taking on this double duty because not only do you have the responsibility of performing yourself, but you

Consuelo, Comedy, And Assimilation

Gina Marie Rodriguez 3:10

changing everyone else. And I know West Side Story fairly well, but I'm I'm trying to remember who Consuelo is. Is she the one who says, I know you do? Yeah, she does.

Kyra Sorce 3:24

Iconic, iconic, and it's so funny. Before I came on the Zoom, I was like practicing how I was gonna say that. I was like, let me play with it. Yeah, Consuelo, I call her, she's the blonde shark. So she she did a dye job because she wants to, you know, assimilate. And so she's got this really fun dye job, like dark roots, blonde hair. It's amazing.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 3:48

That is amazing, and it's funny because I want to point out that before we started recording this, we were all talking about how much we we have a desire to speak Spanish and we're like reverse trying to assimilate. Yes, yes, so I think it's interesting. Um, and it must be fun to play a character who is on the opposite side of that, I guess.

Kyra Sorce 4:06

Yeah, totally. And she she's got some clues into her character, like she's obsessed with her boyfriend Pepe, she has a deep friendship with Anita and Maria. She's kind of cool, she's kind of second in command on the shark women's side. She's extremely supportive and she's really funny. I enjoy playing her a lot. She sounds like a blast.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 4:26

If I had any musical abilities, if I could sing or dance, that's who I would have wanted to play. But I can do neither of those things. Yes. Well, when you come see it, let me know what you think of Michael Suelo. Yes, absolutely. And I actually think this might be one of the first, no, it will be the first professional stage production I've ever seen of West Side Story. I've seen both movies and one high school production, but I've never seen a professional production of Westside Story.

Kyra Sorce 4:50

Oh, you I'm so excited for you. Essentially, Mark Kobe was like, we're just gonna do West Side Story. We're not gonna mess with it. We're gonna keep it as it is, hold up the integrity, we're just gonna do it.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 5:02

So you are in for such a treat. I'm so

Bernardo’s Love Beneath The Rage

Gina Marie Rodriguez 5:05

excited. And I have Bernardo here with me. So I want to talk to you. I mean, you're essentially the tibbled character, right? If this is the comp to Romeo and Juliet, you're tibbled. Talk to me about what that's like for you to get to play him.

Anthony Sanchez 5:19

You know, I there's something about this character that I just am obsessed with. It's just, you know, when you just love so passionately and so deeply, and you will do anything for your family. Like you will protect them and go to the edge of the earth for them. Um, and I think that's kind of like what is so special for this. I feel like sometimes when I see this character or when this character comes, people are like, oh, he's just mad, you know, he's always just mad and just wants to fight. But it's like, why did he get that way? Like how, like, who pushed him to the edge? What is he doing it for, you know, because we all do something for another reason. So bringing like the heart and love because he loves Anita so much and he loves his shark gang and he loves the shark women and he wants to take care of them and have a place where they can walk down the street and feel safe. It's like all that is why he fights. All that is why he will step in front of, you know, Riff and the Jets. He he does it out of love. And I think bringing that part for me, you know, is is really important every time I do this, this part, this role. And and and yeah, I think it's just it's one of those things where I'm so grateful to be on the stage with other people of color, you know, people that have had this in their life growing up in middle school, high school where it doesn't feel like you belong, but you're like, I'm here. Like, you know, I was born in Mexico and and I moved to uh the United States when I was three, and and I look around and I'm like, do I belong here? So it's like it's like you know, it's a really, it's a really important story, and I'm and I'm so grateful, especially in a time like right now, where do I belong here is so important. I just think it's just kind of like I'm so grateful that I get to be a part of this story and get to tell it.

Kyra Sorce 7:04

That was stunning, Anthony. Wow, yeah.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 7:07

No, it's true. They can, you know, yeah, right? Like neither here nor

Family Histories Behind The Roles

Gina Marie Rodriguez 7:12

there. And I I'm glad you brought that up because I wanted to talk to you both about your backgrounds as well, because we were talking about the reverse assimilation uh for all of us being Latino or half Latino. Um, so if you don't mind talking to me a little bit about your background, uh Kira, I'll start with you and then we'll go back to Anthony.

Kyra Sorce 7:30

Okay, so my story is very similar to West Side's story. So my abuela, her name is Althea, she was a Puerto Rican-American woman. And I'm gonna just say a little family lore for the moment. She got pregnant with my mom at 18, with the man that she loved. But for him, she wasn't pure, she wasn't Italian enough because she had this Puerto Rican blood in her, she wasn't deemed worthy enough for him. So she had my mom at 18, Catholic, grew up in Brooklyn, like Brooklyn Catholic girl, you know, shame, shame, shame. And she had my mom uh out of love and like did that journey. And my family came over from Sicily, we're Sicilian and we're also Puerto Rican. So they came over through Operation Bootstrap and through Ellis Island in the 1940s. We haven't been here that long, and they came through and settled in Brooklyn, New York. They did the brownstone thing, like down in Brooklyn, like these rowdy Puerto Ricans, these rowdy, rowdy Sicilians, and like even back in the day, there was a lot of us, and there's more of us now, which is super cool. And so my family were not blood related because of that switch, like with who my mom's dad is, and him not wanting to be a part of my mom's life because she was Puerto Rican. So I'm not directly related to a lot of my family, but it's a love relationship. So we all might not be genetically related, but we're love related, and that is such a shark quality that I find deep in my practice of how I live my life and just in the show in general. And so my mom grew up in Brooklyn as a Puerto Rican, like Sicilian, like girl, my dad is Sicilian, and they met in New York and fell in love in New York and moved out west to have me. But like the roots and the history of my family is the same as the sharks, which is so the sharks, honestly, and I'm gonna say it, and the jets. So it's really, really cool because we have that Sicilian and we have that Puerto Rican.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 9:36

Wow, that's a beautiful story. Yeah, that's that's amazing.

Anthony Sanchez 9:40

Thank you, Anthony.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 9:41

How about you?

Anthony Sanchez 9:42

Um, you know, it's you know, it's I I was born in Mexico. My mom was 17 at the time. Um, and you know, we just uh my my dad, uh my mom's from El Salvador, my dad's from Mexico, they met when they were in high school. Um, and yeah, she had me at 17, and then at three years old, my mom was just like, I want a better life for my son. And kind of like, you know, the story of West Side's story, you know, we get here, and and we're all hoping for that American dream. We're all hoping for, you know, a better tomorrow. And and it's it's so interesting because I I talked to my mom quite a bit about doing this show. Um, Kira and I, we did this show overseas internationally, which was incredible. And my mom was visiting me in Paris. Uh, and like it was weird that we were in Paris and she was seeing me perform this show. And I turned to my mom and I was just like, Thank you for this opportunity. If you didn't say, Let's go to America to, you know, so you can fulfill your dreams or even try for your dreams, I wouldn't be in Paris at the Chatelet seeing you like watch me perform like that in a million years that uh that never came to my mind. But if it wasn't for her being like, you can do this, let's let's try. You know what I'm saying? So yeah, so it's it's it's amazing. And and and I'm just so grateful for you know the women who came before, you know, all of us, or the moms or the grandmas or the grandpas who are like, we want you to have a better life and and uproot literally everything and try to make that happen.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 11:18

That's so beautiful. And I'm

Singing “America” With Real Stakes

Gina Marie Rodriguez 11:20

uh I mean on the verge of tears here.

Anthony Sanchez 11:23

Sorry, sorry.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 11:24

No, it's a good thing, it's a good thing. And I that immigrant story is obviously so pivotal to West Side's story, but what does that song America mean to you to both of you when you're singing that?

Kyra Sorce 11:36

So I think, yeah, I've got a lot of history with that song, just like um Anthony said, we had such a privilege of being on tour as Anita and Bernardo 2022 through 2023. And I think by halfway through that tour, I had found what that song is for me. And that song, oh, I just got full body chills. Especially, it's a lot of work on Anita to not make it nasty, but to make it fun and loving and witty and full of heart. Like this is what her and Rosalia and the girls do. This is the way that they show themselves. They get sexy, they get hot, they get technical, they get witty with each other. There's no male gaze. It's about the girl empowerment, girl empowerment. And I think at the end of the day, Rosalia knows that she wants to be in America, but Rosalia is like, I do miss the green, the fruit, the air, the air quality, the love, the heartbeat. You know, Manhattan is a concrete jungle, it's a rat city. There, it's it's dirty, especially back then. So she's feeling nostalgic and she and she's overplaying it to dig at Anita, like sisters do. You know what I mean? And Anita's like, girl, we've done this before and we're gonna do it again. And you just brought it up in the kitchen and you're bringing it up again now, you know. And I like to think, like, you know, maybe they've had some tequila, maybe they're you know, they just came from the dance. Like they're they're having a good fucking time, and it's fun and it's playful, and it's about it's for me, that's how I really connected to it because you can look at it and you can see, okay, maybe some of the lyrics are a little dated, maybe it could be portrayed as a little racist, like we've got to change some exclamations and some things. And it's like if you put it in that way and you bring it back to the sisterhood and the heart, you can really have fun with it, and the audience is left feeling like that was a blast.

Anthony Sanchez 13:34

Yeah, I uh I love that song. Uh unfortunately, they kick the boys out uh when they start singing, but it's fun watching from the wings and getting to see an all like female number that has nothing, like Kira said, has nothing to do with the men. I love that, and that's just so empowering, especially for a musical back then. If you really think about it, like to be like, let's have just an all-women's number talking about where you came from and like you know what you miss and what you love. Um, so it's it's really cool getting to watch that from the wings or even just watch it like in the rehearsal at new 42. And it's just so thrilling and exciting, and it really has everything. It has the singing, it has the hard dancing, it has you know the comedy. So I think that's just such a uh pivotal moment in the in the show, you know, because you fall in love with the sharp girls. So yeah.

unknown 14:20

Okay.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 14:22

I feel like I've gaslit myself. Did I in the movie the men?

Anthony Sanchez 14:26

In the movie, yes.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 14:28

Yeah, see, this is where my lack of stage production is. That's okay.

Anthony Sanchez 14:31

That's okay. But but I think that's what that's what is exciting.

Kyra Sorce 14:34

I also do love. I love it. I love when the men are in it.

Anthony Sanchez 14:38

Yeah, yeah, same. But you know what? I love I love I love to sit in the sidelines and just watch and watch you guys kick your heads every night. That's pretty exciting.

Original Film Versus Spielberg Remake

Gina Marie Rodriguez 14:48

I have to ask, which film version do you prefer?

Anthony Sanchez 14:54

Kira, you can go first.

Kyra Sorce 14:57

I gotta say it. I haven't watched the new one. I can't tell a lie. So yeah. It came out when we were on tour, and I was just a little west eyed out. I was like, I don't think in my free time I can digest this anymore. Um, and I know it's a piece of work and I know I need to see it. Um, I all I'll say about the original is that it's the reason why I transitioned out of concert dance and started to focus on musical theater because it was pivotal. I it just I had never felt moved quite like that. And so the OG was pivotal just in who I am as a person.

Anthony Sanchez 15:35

Yeah, I mean, I I would okay, so let me preface this. I would have to agree. The original is OG. I remember watching it a million times, but I will plug in our riff at Paper Mill Playhouse. He played action in the remake with Steven Spielberg. So when you do come and see it, he will be the Riff in our production, which is very exciting. Um and our snowboy, Daniel. Daniel Patrick Russell is also in it. So you'll see two people from the the new movie in the paper mill production. Yeah, um, and they're incredible to watch. Um, but yeah, like Kira said, I just love the original. I just I'm just an OJ. I know you haven't seen the the new one, Kira, but I think the original is just it just is near and dear to my heart.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 16:18

Yeah, I'm I'm with you guys. I mean, I know Kira's choosing it by default, but I still have to go. I have to look at the original. I do. But I will say, um, and this is just a tidbit that I'll share. My father, who was New Yorkan, did not really like the Natalie Wood version. Just, I mean, because she wasn't Latinov.

Kyra Sorce 16:35

Right. Yeah, right.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 16:36

Um, and then when he went to see, I took him to see the new Steven Spielberg version, and he cried during that one because that one was his was his childhood essentially, because he grew up, uh he was he was born in the 30s. So he grew up during that era and he was very um very familiar with their experiences, and he thought that one did a better job of highlighting the Puerto Rican experience in a way felt grounded, yeah. Which makes sense. They didn't really uh focus on on you know grounded reality in like 19. Not at all. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 17:10

Yeah, cool. Not at all.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 17:12

So I'll give I'll give that one credit. And it was obviously it was beautifully shot, but West Side Story is just such a classic. And and how could it not be when you're essentially remaking Romeo and Juliet? It's just to be a classic, exactly. But yeah, I had this question, which is just for funsies, and you guys are gonna be like, why are you asking me this?

Dream Jukebox Version With Bad Bunny

Gina Marie Rodriguez 17:32

I'm curious if someone were to reimagine West Side Story as a jukebox musical, what songs would you want to see in West Side? That funny!

Kyra Sorce 17:46

We were literally talking about this yesterday.

Speaker 3 17:49

So funny.

Kyra Sorce 17:55

Or it should be Benito's last album. Like, we all want to see Nueva York.

Anthony Sanchez 18:02

Yeah, it's like, yes, that's easy. We'll reach out to him and we'll see what we can do for next year.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 18:08

I'm gonna put you on that, Anthony.

Anthony Sanchez 18:09

You're gonna reach out to that bunny.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 18:12

We're all gonna be harassing Benito to see what he can do.

Anthony Sanchez 18:15

We're like, please. Wait, I feel like that's such a good answer. You can't really talk that. That's that's really good.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 18:22

What's funny is that I hadn't even I love Bad Bunny and I hadn't even considered it. And maybe this shows my age because I was going to like El Tiburon, which is so old. It's so old, I can't remember. I think it's by Proyecto Uno or something. Beautiful English, yes, and it's sharks, you know, why not? Beautiful.

Anthony Sanchez 18:39

Honestly, maybe throw some some Selena in there. Like you get some like come on, market very oh yeah, 100%.

Kyra Sorce 18:49

100%.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 18:50

Yeah, basically, okay. So we have a uh job now, and it's to rewrite websites to read. I love big box musical. I love it. Uh you guys are gonna handle all the music though, because I of course and then Anthony's gonna handle the copyrights, yes, of course.

Anthony Sanchez 19:03

I'll deal with all the paperwork.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 19:05

Exactly. Is that one of your skills?

Anthony Sanchez 19:07

No, not at all. That's why it's funny.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 19:10

I'm I'm also not good at that. But I love I love that idea, and I love that you guys were already just naturally talking about it.

Kyra Sorce 19:17

We were talking about it, literally, Alex Sanchez and I were talking about it on a 10 yesterday. It was it's amazing.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 19:23

God, that is so funny.

Inside A Fast Two-Week Rehearsal Room

Gina Marie Rodriguez 19:25

Tell me a little bit about the rehearsal process. You said um earlier uh before I started recording this that you guys have been rehearsing for two weeks, right? So, like, what is that journey like? I mean, you guys already know the show so well. So, what is it like to step into those roles again?

Kyra Sorce 19:40

Basically, we're 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and then we have Sundays off. That's been the last two weeks. And I'm proud to say we finished the show two days ago. Like, we did a put through yesterday. We're in such a good spot, which is which is like slapped on the back of everybody, like amazing, amazing work on all departments. Basically, we have a big room for dancing and then a separate room, and we are working in either room at all times, whether you're doing choreo with Alex and Alexa, or you're staging with Mark, or you're learning music with Ben. We've got oh yeah, we have three rooms. We have a room with a piano. So we just really in two weeks, they maximize the time and put the show up. We have an hour in the middle of the day for lunch, and then we're on an equity rehearsal. So every 90 minutes we take a 10 minute break, um, which is great. And you, you know, eat your lunch, drink your electrolytes, and just send it.

Anthony Sanchez 20:40

So that's exactly, that's exactly right, Kira. Like it's it's funny because like this group of people are just so talented and they pick up things so quickly, and like we all have to just go with the changes and the flows and this and that. And it's just it's just like if we didn't have such a great group of people, I don't think we would have been as far as we've gotten, I guess, essentially.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 21:01

I was gonna say, I think it's so important for folks outside of the industry to hear what the rehearsal process is like and understand just how rigorous it is. I mean, you six days on, one day off is that's a lot, right? Yeah, and to be so physical, you know, I can manage a straight play because I don't have to run around and sweat like crazy. So I don't know how musical performers do it. And I I did want to talk about it since I have two dancers with me. I I wanted to ask you if or how the

When Movement Becomes Character Work

Gina Marie Rodriguez 21:38

dance influences character choices.

Anthony Sanchez 21:42

Ooh, so good. Wait, can I take this one real quick? Because I have such a good story. So I am in the prologue. Um, I'm like it's the Jets, and then you know, Bernardo walks on by himself for the prologue. And so I just have to walk from one side of the stage to the other, and I'm doing that. I'm doing that, you know, and Alex. Pulls me aside and goes, great work. And I'm like, thank you, thank you. But he's like, when you're walking across that stage, he's like, you're embarrassed. You just been humiliated. You so instead of just having a step going from one side of the stage to the other, he's giving me these like little nuggets, like what I should, you know, bring into this walk or what I'm feeling or why I'm crossing the stage. So I think that's what's so amazing about you know Jerome, but also Alex, it's that he can bring these um little ideas and little thoughts of why we're doing certain steps, because the steps also move the story along. Like there is no talking in that full, like, what is it, eight-minute prologue at the beginning? That is all dancing, that is just storytelling. So any kind of movement, it's it's moving the story forward. So I think that's really important, especially having someone like Alex there who knows the story so well.

Kyra Sorce 22:52

Oh my gosh, Anthony, that is amazing. Thank you for sharing that.

Anthony Sanchez 22:55

Yeah, wow.

Kyra Sorce 22:56

Yes. Oh, okay. I have two thoughts. My first thought is one of my favorite sequences of all time, Dance at the Gym, Blues and Mambo. I think what makes that so special is in the ball changes of the Mambo, like when you're looking back and the punches and the jumps and the flipping, if you're in the pocket, you are sending energy to the jets or sending energy to the sharks in each of those hits to intimidate, to peacock, to do all the things, to to bite, to it's a battle, it's a dance battle, it's an OG dance battle, and that's the integrity of it. And you know, once you get the timing and the steps and the facings, that's the second layer of like, all right, now let's produce this piece that is a dance piece, but it was always an acting piece first, essentially, in the creation of it, which is cool. And then the second thing is a story I want to share that was cast down for me by Julio Morey, who is another Jerome Robbins setter. He also worked directly with Jerome Robbins, he's a mentor of mine and worked with I Anthony and I have both worked with him. And he told me that the snapping in cool, like the reason why they snap and the reason why the jet snapped, Jerome Robbins picked that up from someone on the streets of New York that had a tick. They had a nervous tick. They were maybe a questionable person, you know, in Midtown, and they had, you know, we've all seen it, we've all been around that. And they had this tick where they couldn't stop snapping and that anxiety and that aggression. They were just circling a corner of a street, and that's where Jerome picked up that snapping. Yes.

Anthony Sanchez 24:33

I never knew that.

Kyra Sorce 24:34

Yes, I never knew that. Yes, it's so cool. And so if you, yeah, if you can add that, that's again a second layer of the intentionality. It's not, we're not just snapping to get your attention. You're snapping for any reason. Many reasons your parasympathetic nervous system is off, and it's how you stay grounded or you know, to scare people away from you. You know, maybe you don't want anyone around you, and so you can layer it in as an actor. It's sure it's a ball change, sure, it's a snap, but that's why this work has lasted as long as it has, is because every single detail has intentionality.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 25:13

Wow, that is my new favorite tidbit.

Anthony Sanchez 25:16

That's so cool. I had no idea. I had no idea.

Creative Team Energy And Tech Anticipation

Gina Marie Rodriguez 25:20

Me either. That is amazing. I love I love hearing the actor's process, but I did want to ask you guys, and and maybe we'll end with this, but I wanted to add we've talked a little bit about Alex, but I want to ask you guys about your experience with the entire creative team. Talk to me about uh your director and uh your costumer. Like just I like to highlight the crew as well because actors get a lot of the um, you know, you share the spotlight with creative, creative is important.

Anthony Sanchez 25:50

Uh okay, I guess I'll go. Um working with Mark and Alex, it's so fun because you can tell, like, you know, we've done shows before, or at least I've done shows before, where I've like seen a director for our friend, I'm like, oh yeah, they're they're they're like they're doing their job, they're happy. But like Mark and Alex love West Side Story. And you can tell so much because they both get up from their seats and they're like, try this, or like it's like this, or this is the power. And like when you have a creative team that's like that, that is so excited for a piece of work, it's just like it feeds the cast, it feeds the crew, it feeds everyone who wants to do a good job and sharing the story. Um, as well as the like the costume, or like it's fun going in there and we have all these different fittings and and like like asking, like, oh, why are we wearing this, or what is this for? What is that? Like, it's just it it brings the whole story. So it's just we don't have a I don't think we have a run until Tuesday where like the lighting will come in and everything, but like all of those things play such a crucial part in telling the story, you know. We can't do the show without costumes, we can't do the show without music, we can't do the show with like so it's so exciting when we're all gonna be in the same room together and collaborating and making this this show come to life. So props to everybody.

Kyra Sorce 27:02

Yeah, I couldn't have said it better myself. I think I I've never seen Mark and Alex sit when they're on their feet, like giving actual like directing and choreographing. And I don't think Alex eats lunch, like he is just so he's so in the process. Um, I know Mark Hovey, our director, has personal um relationships with the show. He did drum robins Broadway in the 80s, and I think he covered 19 tracks.

Anthony Sanchez 27:31

He took it something crazy like that. Yes, yeah, wild like that.

Kyra Sorce 27:35

And I love when Mark is watching, he is so emotional, and I am a cancer zodiac, and I am emotional as well, and it is just so nice. You feel you feel safe to fall in love, you feel safe to play and mess up and go on the journey with them because they're both very much in process, because they are actors, they both are dancers, and now they've graduated to choreographer, director, and I know Alex directs as well. Mark at one point in time choreographed the show at the Marriott, they've been in the show many times, just like it's blessing Anthony and I's life and career. It has also blessed their life and career, which you feel like you're not in the room with egos, you're in the room with actors, which is sweet. And I know our costume designer was when the last time they did this 10 years ago at the paper mill, he was the assistant, like assistant stitcher or assistant, you know, seamstress, whatever. And now he is designing this show, which that is some cool history for them as well. So, yeah, and I'm excited to meet the whole team. You know, my favorite part of the process is tech because as actors we like it to be about us, but it's actually not about us. So it's it's fun, you know, like it's not about you, it's about you, it's about the lights, like hit your mark.

Anthony Sanchez 28:55

Love that, I love that. Oh gosh.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 28:58

I love hearing all of that, especially as a prospective audience member, because when I hear how passionate not only the cast is, but how passionate the creative team is, I know I'm in for a good show. There's no way that this isn't gonna be an amazing show because it means so much to you, and it's so clear.

Show Dates, Tickets, And Farewell

Gina Marie Rodriguez 29:15

It's so clear that it means so much to you guys.

Anthony Sanchez 29:18

We're excited, we're so excited. I think it'll be in what May 28th to June 28th, I believe. So if you're around, just definitely stop by Paper Mill Playhouse.

unknown 29:28

Woo!

Gina Marie Rodriguez 29:29

I know I'm looking forward to it. I'm gonna be there opening night with bells on, not with bells on because then you guys will be distracted.

Anthony Sanchez 29:35

Like, who's that? Who's that woman with bells on?

Gina Marie Rodriguez 29:37

Yeah, yeah. Really loud bangles. Get her out of here.

Kyra Sorce 29:42

Oh, I cannot wait for you to see it. I'm so excited that this is your first stage production. You're gonna love it.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 29:48

Me too. Me too. I'm really excited. I I mean, I won't dismiss the high school production that I saw. I mean, they were good, but I do think it should be a little bad. Respect.

Speaker 3 29:58

Respect. Respect.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 30:00

I'm so excited that I had the chance to talk to you guys about this. This was so fun. And um, you know, maybe we'll be best friends now. I don't know.

Speaker 3 30:07

Yay! Love that.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 30:09

Thank you guys for taking the time. I appreciate it.

Speaker 3 30:13

Thank you.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 30:15

West Side Story runs May 28th through June 28th at the Papermill Playhouse in Melbourne. For tickets and more information about this show, be sure to visit papermill.org. If you liked this episode, be sure to review, subscribe, and tell your friends. A transcript of this podcast, links relevant to the story, and more about the arts in New Jersey can be found at jerseyarts.com. The Jersey Arts Podcast is presented by Art Pride New Jersey, advancing a state of creativity since 1986. The show was co-founded by and currently supported by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. This episode was hosted, edited, and produced by me, Gina Marie Rodriguez. Executive producers are Jim Atkinson and Isaac Cernadiaz. And my thanks, of course, to Anthony Sanchez and Kara Sorts for speaking with me today. I'm Gina Marie Rodriguez for the Jersey Arts Podcast. Thanks for listening.