Maria Music: Leonard Bernstein [1918 - 1990] Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim [b.1930] The Broadway musical West Side Story [1957] is a modern rendition of Romeo and Juliet that involves the harsh streets gangs of the upper west side of New York City. The two gangs known as the Sharks and the Jets are battling for control of the turf. The situation becomes highly complicated as Tony falls madly in love with Maria the sister of the rival gang’s leader. This star-crossed love affair results in a tragic ending where Tony is killed by Maria’s brother Bernardo. This musical tells a universal love story that will forever be applicable to audiences as it deals with highly sensitive topics such as racism, gender norms …show more content…
He is confused, naive and in love. His confusion is fuelled by the fact that this one girl has made his heart soft as opposed to the villainous gang member he really is. ** Tell My Father Music: Frank Wildhorn [b.1959] Lyrics: Greg Boyd [b.1957] The Broadway musical The Civil War [1998] is an emotional production of the American nation’s history. The show contains actual letters, diaries, historical documents of the soldiers who were at war, as it aids to exploit the brutality that took place during the Civil War that claimed the lives of six hundred and twenty thousand Americans. This epic musical revue represents the greatest tragedy in American History by placing a human face that exploits the true events of soldiers who fought for their lives. In the context of the Musical, Tell My Father is about a dying soldier who writes a letter to his Father. As the song progresses its hauntingly emotional lyrical content furthermore tells the story of a soldier who desperately wants his father to acknowledge him as a man, that he died with pride, that his dying wish was to make his Father proud and to tell him how much he loves him.