Students Preparing for West Side Story

The award-winning will run a production of the musical "West Side Story" on March 31 through April 3.

This year, there are five performances: they will be held at 8 p.m. on March 31, April 1 and April 2. Matinee performances will be held on April 2 and 3 at 2 p.m.

Step back into New York City in the 1950s, into a world colored by violence and racial intolerance, with the rival street gangs, the "Sharks" and the "Jets," battling for a piece of turf to call their own.

"West Side Story" is also the tragic love story, of Tony and Maria, torn apart by the world around them.  Written by Arthur Laurents, with music by Leonard Bernstein and Steven Sondheim, including well-known, heart-wrenching love songs such as "Somewhere," "One Hand, One Heart"  and "Tonight."

The Wolverine Players production of "West Side Story" is directed by Kelly Nelsen of FOOTElights Theater Company; produced by Jennifer Crooks, Oxford High School’s Fine Arts chair; and is choreographed by Jennifer Kealey.

The musical features a technical crew of 11 and a cast of 53 Oxford High School students, including high school seniors Charlie Widmer as "Tony" and Shelby Burnett as "Anita," along with high school juniors Liesl Wise as "Maria," Gabriel Armentano as "Riff," and Brandon Egervari as "Bernardo."

The Wolverines Players last year won two Halo Awards for excellence in theater arts from Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury for Best Acting Ensemble and Best Dancing, with several nominations in both the acting and the technical categories. The group sold out all performances of last year's production of "Grease," and anticipates doing the same for this year's production.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for students, seniors and teachers, and can be ordered in advance at Showtix4u.com or by calling 203.888.8005.

Reserve your tickets now. Don't miss this amazing, timeless musical.