West Side Story

[October 11th, 2006] West Side Story was not my first choice for the opening show of Portland Center Stage's new Armory home (I was hoping for Cabaret), but I have to admit that Artistic Director Chris Coleman chose the perfect production to show off the strengths of his $36 million, eco-excellent, histo-riffic performance space: At two-and-a-half hours, West Side lets you feel just how comfy those new seats are.

And that's not all: The Armory renovators squeezed a full fly system into the two-story space, and Coleman makes sure you notice it. How about sight lines? Gangsters popping out of every corner of the minimalist set prove the doubters wrong. Excellent acoustics? Check! Loads of lights? Check! Plenty of exits? Well, just don't shout "fire," OK?

Seriously, though, there's an almost flawless production of one of the greatest American musicals going on under the corrugated metal roof. I say "almost," but the flaw here's a doozy: Leads Carey Brown (Maria) and Anderson Davis (Tony) don't seem especially interested in each other. It's hard to buy their undying love when Maria won't even look at her slab of Polish man-meat while she sings, "All the world is only you and me." Come on, kids! A little feeling?

That quibble and the company's desperate attempts to make the daddy-o-laden book seem timely ("It's easy to imagine Tony as a Hutu and Maria as a Tutsi" writes one Marissa Skudlarek in an essay printed in the program) aside, Coleman has put on an outstanding production with an enormous and energetic cast of fine singers and dancers and a top-notch orchestra.

Outstanding among the cast were Vancouver native and stunt-man Tony Clarno (Riff), who brings acrobatic flips and manic physical feats to the tough-talking gang leader; fiery and intimidating Ivette Sosa (Anita) who steals the show—twice; and tiny, hyperactive Amy Palomino (42nd Street) as Anybody's, the Jets' maybe-queer hanger-on. Palomino just won't leave Portland alone, and we like it that way.

The energy these actors throw into showstoppers like "America" and "Gee, Officer Krupke" make West Side Story the biggest musical in town this year. Don't miss it.