NPR : Talk of the Nation

'West Side Story,' Still Pretty And Witty At 50

October 17, 2011
comments

The film version of the acclaimed Broadway musical West Side Story premiered 50 years ago. The production, which set Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet against the backdrop of 1950s New York City, wasn't always set on the West Side and wasn't always a smash hit.

Still, for many, the story holds up as well today as it did five decades ago. NPR's Neal Conan talks with two of the film's stars, Rita Moreno, who played Anita, and Georg Chakiris, who played Bernando, to talk about the film's enduring meaning.

And theater critic Misha Berson, author of Something's Coming, Something Good: West Side Story and the American Imagination, talks about the musical's evolution and its lasting influence on musical theater and pop culture.

Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

Arts & Culture

NPR

China Builds Museums ... But Will The Visitors Come?

China is on a spree to build world-class museums and has opened about 100 of them annually in recent years. Two of the biggest opened on the same day last fall on opposite banks of Shanghai's Huangpu River. But filling these museums — with both art and visitors — is proving more challenging.

Food

NPR

Nutrition Group Says Chocolate Milk Is OK, No Need For Aspartame

The nation's largest group of nutritionists is urging the FDA to reject the dairy industry's petition to change the definition of milk. The petition aims to allow aspartame or other alternatives to be used to sweeten milk in an effort to boost consumption in schools.

Politics

NPR

IRS Official In Charge Of Nonprofits Declines To Testify

Lois Lerner, who heads the IRS division dealing with nonprofits seeking tax-exempt status, will not testify on Wednesday despite a congressional subpoena, her attorney says. She is accused of closely scrutinizing conservative groups that sought tax-exempt status.

Technology

NPR

Microsoft Reveals New Xbox One Game System

Microsoft unveiled its new Xbox One Tuesday, displaying a device that takes new steps in game consoles' journey into becoming all-purpose entertainment and communication devices. The new console replaces the Xbox 360, which has been on the market for more than seven years.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.