‘How come we’re still in the same place?’

The Sharks, on the left, and the Jets, on the right, have a tense encounter in an early scene in the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra production of “West Side Story.” Photo by Hananiah Hardin.

The Sharks, on the left, and the Jets, on the right, have a tense encounter in an early scene in the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra production of “West Side Story.” Photo by Hananiah Hardin.

By James Sanford | NowKalamazoo | Explore & Connect | April 13, 2026

The themes behind “West Side Story” are still relevant as ever, 70 years after its original run. That’s the whole point of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra’s one-night-only production.

On the city street, there’s an emotionally charged standoff between two groups of teenagers. The police have shown up, but the atmosphere is still fraught with tension.

Read the full article at NowKalamazoo.org