Set in post 9/11 New York City, the musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.The members of the Sharks from Puerto Rico are taunted by the Jets,a white working-class group. The young protagonist, Tony, one of the Jets, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks.

The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theatre. Those snapping fingers. That jazzily balletic race down an alley.

The clambering over a chain-link fence to escape the cops.The fire escape romance. The seductive but charged mambo at a dance in a school gym. The brutal war between the Jets and the Sharks.