West Side Story is coming to Columbia High School tonight — and tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon.

After last year's roaring success with the much lesser-known Drowsy Chaperone, the CHS musical staff and students are taking on a classic American musical — one with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (his first musical!) and choreography by Jerome Robbins.

This production is such a success that it attracted composer Leonard Bernstein's own son Alexander Bernstein to the Sunday, March 11 matinee.

West Side Story — based on the Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet — has some rich themes to mine, including racial tensions, rival street gangs, and young love thwarted. Since the film version won 10 of 11 Academy Awards for which it was nominated, the audience may — just may — have more specific expectations this year. However, the film version debuted in 1961 — before a good number of the CHS students' parents were born!

Performance dates and times are:

Friday, March 16- 7:30
Saturday, March 17- 7:30
Sunday, March 18- 2:00

Tickets are at these locations:

Stony's - 10 Sloan St. South Orange
Park Wood Diner - 1958 Springfield Ave., Maplewood
Maplewood Stationers - 171 Maplewood Ave, Maplewood
Maplewood Pizzeria - 513 Valley Street, Maplewood

You can, of course, buy tickets at Columbia High School and there is a stack at Maplewood MIddle School (find Mr. Cohen, Room 140).

$10 in advance or $15 if you buy at the door.