Walter G. O'Connell Copiague High School students Matthew Edlind and Dilara Altuner dazzled audiences as the iconic Tony and Maria in the high school’s March production of West Side Story.
The award-winning musical is an adaption of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The feuding families of the tragic love story are translated into two rival gangs from New York City - the Sharks, led by Bernardo (played by Angel Aracena), and the Jets, led by Riff (played by Trevor Coady). Their racial hatred escalates to a point where neither group can peacefully coexist in the same territory. West Side Story tells the complicated love story of Tony and Maria and their allegiance to family and friends.
The musical features such fan favorite songs as “Tonight,” “I Feel Pretty,” and the wonderful “America,” as sung by the characters of Lindsay Griffiths’ Anita, Stephanie Fischer’s Rosalia, and the Sharks. While the actors were enchanting audience members with their performances, a multitude of students were hard at work making sure everyone looked and sounded perfect and that the show ran smoothly.
Gina Occhiogrosso directed the musical and received support from assistant director Michelle Budion, vocal director Marc Levenson, choreographer Sylvia Walsh, costume designer Meredith Wanzer, set designer Lauren Lefkowitz, and pit orchestra conductor David Abrams.
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