Treating the Soul - "West Side Story"

As I wrote yesterday, I went to see "West Side Story" for the 50th anniversary of the film.  I have a DVD copy of the movie and I could have just watched it at home, but there is something about the way a movie on the big screen engulfs you and how sitting in a darkened room with other people who share your love of a movie can enrich the experience.

As I watched the film, I was immediately jetted back to the first time I saw the movie. I was 14 and I watched it in the library after school with a couple of friends as a supplemental experience to go with reading "Romeo and Juliet" in my English class.  We watched the movie over the course of about 3-4 days.  I remember bawling at the end - one of my friends sat in amazement.  "It's just a movie..." he said.

For me, there is just something magic and timeless about "West Side Story".  The beautiful music, clever lyrics, the dancing, the actors, the voices.  The issues are all still there, if a bit more rough around the edges now.

The other reason I went, aside from this being one of my favorite movies, EVER, is that I want to support FathomEvents in putting out these kind of events.  They have been responsible for putting "Rent", "Les Miserables", "Phantom of the Opera" and now "West Side Story" in the theatre.  It is such a great opportunity for folks to access theatre with their families and not break the bank.  I know if my family had brought me to this kind of event (if they had been available), it would have meant the world to me.  I have seen kids at these performances and it makes me so happy to see families accessing these wonderful events.