SALT LAKE CITY — These days, it can feel like we’re living in the middle of one big street fight, arguing and fighting over things like rival gangs.
You might say some are sharks, while others are jets.
For former Tony nominee Robert La Fosse, West Side Story can teach us a lot.
“It involves two gangs, the Sharks and the Jets. And Maria, who is from the Sharks, falls in love with Tony, who's from the Jets. And of course, you know what happens? People die,” he said.
He's the stager for the production coming to Ballet West. Utahn and former Tony nominee Robbie Fairchild is returning home to Utah, playing the role of Tony.
“I grew up in this building,” he said, "it's wild being back here at 38.”
He's based in New York City now but cherishes the opportunity to bring this production home.
“Here in Salt Lake, my dad, hey, how you doing? Do you know them? No. I do that without even recognizing it in New York…what a gift,” he said.
For La Fosse, the cast needed to reflect the diversity within the story - something he says Ballet West's artistic director really values - especially as they tried to cast these Spanish-speaking immigrant characters.
“He's really opened up that door and allowed as many different kinds of people to be a part of the company,” La Fosse said, "I was surprised at how many people that we have to represent the Sharks.”
And as audiences settle in to watch the Sharks and the Jets battle it out, La Fosse hopes they'll also think about divisions out in the real world, too.
“The story really is about the other or the immigrant coming to America,” he said, "when we do become more diverse, we can see life through different cultures.”
Performances end April 18.
