That is because 65 years ago, West Side Story, opened at the Winter Garden. Today, at 54 Downstairs, there is a Bernstein celebration---some of his known and unknown music will be played, plus Chita Rivera will come in to celebrate the musical in which she originated the role of Anita. Could have chosen to go---I had great times at the 50th and 60th reunion---but decided not to. Why---maybe just a little super saturated with the past---even the West Side story one.
Flashback memory: a Friday, September 28, 1957---like today, a Jewish holiday, I, a sophmore at Bronx Science, my first year there am home. My father, was, for some reason in Manhattan today (we live in the Bronx) and on his travels, passed by the West Side Story stage door. He saw one of the dancers outside talking to a friend: "We took eighteen curtain calls yesterday," the dancer is saying. Wow! That memory sears inside of me. Still, as I listen to my dad, I am unable to visualize what might have been going on on that stage, that merited that kind of response. Of course, the family---my brother David, my mom and dad, already have our tickets for the Saturday matinee before Thanksgiving---I will find out then what the dancer was describing, and carry it forward for all these years.
Sophmore year at Bronx Science, a strange and well defined year, my first year of High School, the first thing to understand about it was that, along with ten other sophmore classes and two freshman classes, we were consigned to the Bronx High School of Science Annex, which was located on the two top floors of a public school about six blocks east of the main building. The latter, which we would leave in March of 59 could simply not hold all the incoming students, and so the classes I mentioned were sent to have their first year at the Annex, along with a set of teachers who taught the classes there. Each sophmore class traveled as a class---no individual programs, and so socially those were probably the only members of the class one could get to know. The true world of Bronx Science, which lived in the main building was unknown to us. Occasionally we would get invited to a class dance or other class event, but there, I felt cut off-none of my main building classmates seemed remotely interested in interacting with me. Some good friendships were made out of that first year of traveling together, but looking back on it, I feel it robbed us of any real high school experience, The next year, as a Junior in the main building, traveling as a student with an individual program, the world seemed frenetic--images of students of all classes jumping out at me, as I crossed from one room to another. And then the integration into our classes of students who lived in Manhattan--what an amazing experience I thought that must be. In my mind, they immediately became "different"-somewhat fascinating -navigating a world that seemed so much more diverse and dangerous then my calm, insular neighborhood in the Bronx. The upper west side, where many of them were from. was known to have "dangerous" blocks. What, I wondered, must it be like to navigate the streets every day? And, of course, the new women of the class whom I met. Would they talk to me? Could anything happen with one of them. The year went on, in March we left the main building behind forever and moved about a mile north to our new building. There, I was to find out, just what the world of women of my class would offer me. But that is another "adventure". Maybe another time.
The early evening continues---I try to figure out what will make it interesting---will report soon.
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