As a culminating activity of the English Department for its Speak English Campaign this school year, high school students from different grade levels presented its own adaptation of the famous musical, the West Side Story, last April 8, 2019.
Set in the Upper West Side neighborhood of New York City, the stage play centrals on the rivalry between two teenage gangs: the Jets and the Sharks. Their clash is primarily brought about by their difference of ethnic backgrounds; the Jets being a white gang while the Sharks having members from Puerto Rico. The battle between the gangs reaches its boiling point when Tony (played by Matthew Gibbs), a former member of the Jets, falls in love with Maria (played by Nina Naval), the sister of the rival group leader.
Under the guidance of the English and Music teachers, the play was directed by Myra Joanna Arce of Grade 12.
Meanwhile, students of Grades 2 to 6 presented an intermission number after the first act. They dressed as the characters of the well-known American children’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and sang a song for the guests of the play.
Performing stage plays is one of the many activities the school community awaits every school year as it is a great avenue to showcase how students develop into competent communicators (ESLR 2) and passionate performers of the arts (ESLR 4).
