Following some major setbacks, the Dragon performers have beaten the odds and are bringing musical theater back to the SVHS stage. For their 2022 production, SVHS’s theater program is putting on West Side Story. 

West Side Story, based on the timeless tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, is about the forbidden love between Maria, the sister of the leader of the sharks, and Toni, a member of the rival gang, the Jets. The Jets represent white isolationists and the Sharks represent the Puerto Rican immigrants of the time.  Putting on a show covering controversial topics, it was important for Director Jane Martin to emphasize racial correctness and this cast does just that.

Junior Sebastian De-Anda Garcia who plays Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks and Maria’s older brother, says, “The best part of this production is that everyone in the cast has great chemistry; we work super well together and I know for a fact it is going to end well.”  

The famous leads Maria and Toni are played by sophomores Reina Gibbs and Carmen Jagard. Reflecting on the significance of her role Carmen shares, “I’ve never had a role where I’ve been able to change the character’s gender [and] it makes me happy to make [the play] a lesbian love story.” The cast is planning to take the stage February 25, 26  and 27. Tickets are being sold on GoFan.com