West Side Story

Welcome to Lyric's learning resources!

We are excited to give teachers and students a glimpse into the story, music and images of Lyric’s 2023 production of West Side Story. The presentation below serves to prepare classes for the performance experience. It can be used as a quick reference or a longer study guide with prompts for deeper consideration both before and after coming to the theater.

This slide deck contains:

  • A list of characters
  • A summary of the story
  • Literary and artistic themes
  • Listening examples
  • About the writers
  • Discussion Prompts

You may also elect to use the “speaker notes,” which contain additional information. Simply click on the three dots next to the slide number to gain access to them.

 

Overview

Photos: Todd Rosenberg, Lyric Opera of Chicago