Something's Coming, Something Good: West Side Story and the American
Imagination takes a critical, comprehensive look at one of the most
inventive, influential, and internationally beloved Broadway musicals of
all time - from its inception by a brilliant quartet of creators
(Robbins, Bernstein, Sondheim, and Laurents) to its smashing success on
film, to its ongoing popularity on stages around the world and its
potent impact on the Great American Musical. Featuring intriguing
chapters on West Side Story in relation to Romeo and Juliet; as a
recording phenomenon; as a film rated the second-best movie musical of
all time by the American Film Institute; as part of a wave of juvenile
delinquency dramas; as the first great choreographer-auteur musical; and
as the granddaddy of "youth musicals" such as Hair and Rent, Something's
Coming, Something Good is a revealing guide for those who have seen the
show; for those who wish to study it for pleasure or inspiration; and
for actors, designers, and directors planning on producing it.