Book Vs Movie "West Side Story" (1961) "Romeo and Juliet"

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Book Vs Movie: “West Side Story” Vs "Romeo and Juliet"</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Shakespeare Classic & the 1961 Musical Which Swept the Academy Awards</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“March Musicals!”</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/60822/1200px-West_Side_Story_1961_film_poster.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="457" /></strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oh, Book Vs Movie fans--where art thou?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Margos are kickin’ it with “Musicals in March” and for this episode, we decided to use one of the most adapted Shakespeare tales (which is really saying something!) and match it with one of the most ambitious films of the early 1960s. </span></p> <p><a href= "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare"><strong>William Shakespeare</strong></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">uses poetry, metaphors, comedy, tragedy, and a story about doomed young lovers which has entranced (or annoyed) audiences and high school students who had “</span><a href= "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_%2B_Juliet"><em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Romeo & Juliet</span></em></a><span style= "font-weight: 400;">” on their reading curriculum for decades now. Originally published in the 1590s, there have been several direct adaptations for stage and screen. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Romeo & Juliet are teens in love who are thwarted by the prejudice of their feuding clans and are a symbol for starcrossed lovers who are fated to be together. It’s not the feel-good hit of the summer--but it is beautiful and it’s hard not to feel something when ultimately their love has them make desperate choices (spoiler!)</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the 1950s,</span> <a href= "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Laurents"><strong>Arthur Laurents</strong></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">wrote the boo