WEST SIDE STORY: INSIDE THE MUSIC
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026
10:00 AM | DOORS OPEN AT 9:30AM
POTTER CENTER
A free educational concert for high school and college students that explores the connection between literature and music through Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
- A fun and interactive concert
- See and hear a professional orchestra up close
- Experience selections from West Side Story performed live
- Learn how music, literature, theatre, and dance come together to tell a story
- Duration: 60 minutes
Program Highlights:
- Reena Esmail – Ram Tori Maya
- Bernstein – West Side Story: Symphonic Dances
Who is this for:
- Lovers of classical music
- Music students
- English and literature students
- Theatre and dance students
ALIGNMENT WITH MICHIGAN STANDARDS
Music Standards
- Listening and analyzing musical structure and themes
- Interpreting meaning and emotions in music
- Connecting music to history and culture
English/Language Arts Standards
- Analyzing themes, characters, and conflict in dramatic works
- Examining how setting and point of view influence a story
- Interpreting how different artistic choices shape the audience’s understanding of a narrative
Theatre Standards
- Exploring collaboration among music, theatre and choreography
- Interpreting artistic choices in stage and film adaptations
- Understanding how movement and music work together to communicate emotion