New for this fall, 可乐视频鈥檚 Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies (PRLS) Department is offering a unique cultural and educational series on West Side Story (WSS): The Brooklyn Connection.

Part of the intercultural competency rubric in general education at 可乐视频 and taught by Associate Professor Mar铆a P茅rez y Gonz谩lez the project centers on the 10-time Academy Award-winning 1961 film and its connection to the forthcoming December 2021 release of a version produced by Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Kevin McConnell, and Rita Moreno. The course explores the artistic and cultural impact of West Side Story through the lenses of the humanities and social sciences, highlighting Puerto Rico鈥檚 history with the United States, immigration, ethno-racial relations, gender, gangs, language, music, character analysis, and more.

Featured lectures鈥攚hich are also free and open to the public鈥攊nclude Tony Kushner, playwright, author, and screenwriter; Bobby Sanabria, multiple Grammy-nominated percussionist, composer, arranger, and producer; and Jeanine Tesori, composer, vocal arranger, conductor, and producer. Professor emerita of PRLS and recipient of the 2020 Herbert H. Lehman Prize for Distinguished Service in New York History, , served as historical consultant.

鈥淲e are thrilled to have organized this lecture series of special guests connected with the film to share their expertise, experiences, and insight for students as they move through the socio-historic background and artistry of West Side Story,鈥� said P茅rez y Gonz谩lez. 鈥淲e are excited to invite our extended 可乐视频 community鈥攊ncluding the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Visual, Media, and Performing Arts, alumni, and the general public鈥攖o these free lectures.鈥�

West Side Story (WSS): The Brooklyn Connection Schedule

(PRLS 2105: New York Latinx Culture & the Arts. All events run from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and held over Zoom.)

  • Wednesday, Sept. 1: PRLS Professor Emerita, Virginia S谩nchez Korrol (educator, historian, and author)
  • Monday, Sept. 20: Bobby Sanabria (percussionist, music composer, arranger, and producer)
  • Wednesday, Sept. 29: Tony Kushner (playwright, author, and screenwriter)
  • Wednesday, Oct. 13: Ernesto Acevedo Mu帽oz (educator, author, and director)
  • Wednesday, Oct. 27: Professor Juan Gonz谩lez (broadcast journalist, author, educator, and activist)
  • Wednesday, Nov. 10 (rescheduled from Nov. 3): Victor Cruz (actor, creator of Tita鈥檚 World, and producer)
  • Monday, Dec. 6: Jeanine Tesori (music composer, vocal arranger, conductor, and producer)
  • TBA: Steven Spielberg (film director, producer, and screenwriter)

For more information, contact Associate Professor P茅rez y Gonz谩lez.