Nobody asks when you last watched “West Side Story” anymore, not even the Spielberg remake. With the 1961 movie available on your phone anytime and anywhere, the question now is when will you watch it next? Instead of streaming it on a tiny screen, why not dress up, pay $30, and enjoy it with like-minded fans at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall?
On May 27 and 28, the Oregon Symphony will perform Leonard Bernstein’s popular score for the 1957 Stephen Sondheim musical while the 1961 movie is projected on the big screen. Choosing America’s Romeo and Juliet is a solid move for the symphony, especially as they aim to bring back their live audience after the pandemic (the air conditioning, which broke down last week, has been fixed temporarily).
“As a reporter, my job has changed a lot in the last five years, but telling readable, entertaining stories remains my goal. I believe: 1. Local news carries as much weight as national news. 2. News should be like a utility. We would complain if our drinking water was brown, our Wi-Fi was spotty, or our electricity kept going out. So, we need to know our news sources are legitimate and factual, rather than being a patchwork of friends’ opinions on social media. 3. And finally, you gets what you pays for. Also, as a volunteer, I produce and present Art Focus on KBOO radio 90.7 FM as my way of keeping visual arts coverage alive.
