Outskirts Press, INC.

They came together to be rival gang members in a movie. They hadn’t a clue they were creating cinematic history. WEST SIDE STORY , winner of ten Oscars including best picture. Is there anyone who doesn’t know this iconic film that transcends generations? Yet very little is known about the rivaling Jets and Sharks, who were the backbone of the film and without whom there is no WEST SIDE STORY . Little if anything is known of how these gifted dancer/actor/ singers were chosen, their audition experience, how each member was hand picked by Jerome Robbins because their unique qualities fit his vision.

He x-rayed each dancer and exposed their weaknesses, then fired them up to do almost the impossible. He read you like a book, a page at a time. He could verbally rip your heart out, when you were not giving it everything you had. He was so demanding as to be mean and ungrateful at times, but the end result was beyond comprehension. He was genius.