Acte 1/scène 4

## *#4 - The Dance At The Gym - Blues (Orchestra)*

*10:00 P.M.*

*The gym.*

*Actually, a converted gymnasium of a settlement house, at the moment being used as a dancehall, disguised for the occasion with streamers and bunting. Both gangs are jitterbugging wildly with their bodies, but their faces, although they are enjoying themselves, remain cool, almost detached. The line between the two gangs is sharply defined by the colors they wear: the JETS, girls as well as boys, reflecting the colors of the JET jackets; the same is true of the SHARKS. The dancing is a physical and emotional release for these kids.*

*MARIA enters with CHINO, BERNARDO and ANITA. As she looks around, delighted, thrilled by this, her first dance, the JET catch sight of BERNARDO, who is being greeted by PEPE, his lieutenant, and other Sharks. As the music peters away, the Jets withdraw to one side of the hall, around RIFF. The SHARKS, seeing this, draw to their side, around BERNARDO, who starts-with his lieutenants-to meet him. The moment is brief but it would be disastrous if a smiling, overly cheerful young man of about thirty did not hurry forward. He is called GLAD HAND, and he is a "square."*

**GLAD HAND** *[beaming]*

All right, boys and girls! Attention, please!

*[Hum of talk.]*

Attention!

*[KRUPKE appears behind GLAD HAND: the talk stops.]*

Thank you. It sure is fine turnout tonight.

*[Ad libs from the kids.]*

We want to make friends here, so we're going to have a few get-together dances.

*[Ad libs: "Oh, ginger peachy," ect.]*

You form two circles: boys on the outside and girls on the inside.

**SNOWBOY**

Where are you?

**GLAD HAND** *[tries to laugh at this]*

All right. Now when the music stops, each boy dances with whichever girl is opposite. O.K.? O.K. Two circles, kids.

*[The kids clap their hands back at him and ad lib: "Two circles, kids," ect., but do not move.]*

Well, it won't hurt you to try.

**SNOWBOY** *[limping forward]*

Oh, it hurts; it hurts; it-

*[KRUPKE steps forward. Snowboy straightens up and meekly returns to his place. Riff steps forward and beckons to his girl, Velma. She is terribly young, sexy, lost in a world of jive. She slithers forward to take her place with Riff. The challenge is met by Bernardo, who steps forward, leading Anita as though he were presenting the most magnificent lady in all the world. The other kids follow, forming the two circles Glad Hand requested.]*

**GLAD HAND**

That's it, kids. Keep the ball rolling. Round she goes and where she stops, nobody knows. All right: here we go!

## *#4A - Promenade (Orchestra)*

*[Promenade music starts and the circles start revolving. Glad Hand, whistles to this mouth, is in the center with Krupke. He blows the whistle and the music stops, leaving the Jet boys opposite Sharks girls, and vice versa. There is a moment of tenseness, then Bernardo reaches across the Jet girl opposite for Anita's hand, and she comes to him. Riff reaches for Velma; and the kids of both gangs follow suit.]*

## *#4B - Mambo (Orchestra)*

*(Note : Ne fonctionne pas sur iPad ou sur tout support ne prenant pas en charge le format audio .ogg.)*
*The "get-together" has failed, and each gang is on its own side of the hall as a mambo starts.*

**SHARKS** *(shouted)*

MAMBO!

**JETS** *(shouted)*

MAMBO!

**ALL**

GO!

*(This turns into a challenge dance between BERNARDO and ANITA-cheered on by the SHARKS,and RIFF and VELMA cheered on by the JETS)*

**SHARKS** *(shouted)*

MAMBO!

MAMBO!

*(During it, TONY enters and is momentarily embraced by Riff, who is delighted that his best friend did turn up. The dance builds wilder and wilder, until, at the peak, everybody is dancing and shouting)*

**ALL**

GO, MAMBO!

GO, MAMBO!

GO, MAMBO!

*(It is at this moment that TONY and MARIA - at opposite sides of the hall - see each other. They have been cheering on their respective friends, clapping in rhythm. Now, as they see each other, their voices die, their smiles fade, their hands slowly go to their sides. The LIGHTS fade on the other who disappear into the haze of the background as a delicate cha cha begins and TONY and MARIA slowly walk forward to meet each other.)*

## *#4C - Cha-Cha (Orchestra)*

*(Slowly, as thought in a dream, they drift into the steps of the dance, always looking at eahc other, completely lost in each other; unaware of anything, any place, any time, anything but one another. Then:)*

## *#4D -Meeting Scene (Orchestra)*

**TONY**

You're not thinking I'm someone else?

**MARIA**

I know you are not.

**TONY**

Or that we have met before?

**MARIA**

I know we have not.

**TONY**

I felt, I knew something-never-before was going to happen, had to happen. But this is

**MARIA** *[interrupting]*

My hands are cold.

*[He takes them in his.]*

Yours, too.

*[He moves her hand to his face.]'*

So warm.

*[She moves his hands to her face.]*

**TONY**

Yours, too.

**MARIA**

But of course. They are the same.

**TONY**

It's so much to believe-you're not joking me?

**MARIA**

I have not yet learned how to joke that way. I think now I never will.

*(Impulsively, he stops to kiss her hands; then tenderly, innocently, her lips.)*

## *#4E - Jump (Orchestra)*

*(The music bursts out, the lights flare up, and Bernardo is upon them in an icy rage.)*

**BERNARDO**

Go home, "American."

**TONY**

Slow down, Bernardo.

**BERNARDO**

Stay away from my sister!

**TONY**

...Sister?

*[RIFF steps up.]*

**BERNARDO** *[to MARIA]*

Couldn't you see he's one of them?

**MARIA**

No; I saw only him.

**BERNARDO** *[as CHINO comes up]*

I told you; there's one thing they want from a Puerto Rican girl!

**TONY**

That's a lie!

**RIFF**

Cool, boy.

**CHINO** *[to TONY]*

Get away.

**TONY**

You keep out, Chino.

*[To MARIA:]*

Don't listen to them!

**BERNARDO**

She will listen to brother before

**RIFF** *[overlapping]*

If you characters want to settle

**GLAD HAND**

Please! Everything was going so well! Do you fellows get pleasure out of making trouble? Now come on-it won't hurt you to have a good time.

*[Music starts again. BERNARDO is on one side with MARIA and CHINO; ANITA joins them. TONY is on the other with RIFF and DIESEL. Light emphasizes the first group.]*

**BERNARDO**

I warned you

**CHINO**

Do not yell at her, 'Nardo.

**BERNARDO**

You yell at babies.

**ANITA**

And put ideas in the baby's head.

**BERNARDO**

Take her home, Chino.

**MARIA**

'Nardo, it is my first dance.

**BERNARDO**

Please. We are family, Maria. Go.

*[Maria hesitates, then starts out with Chino as the light follows her to the other group, which she passes.]*

**RIFF** *[to DIESEL, indicating TONY happily]*

I guess the kid's with us for sure now.

*[Tony doesn't even hear; he is starting at Maria, who stops for a moment.]*

**CHINO**

Come, Maria.

*[They continue out.]*

**TONY**

Maria...

*[He is unaware that Bernardo is crossing toward him, but Riff intercepts.]*

**BERNARDO**

I don't want you.

**RIFF**

I want you, though. For a war council-Jets and Sharks.

**BERNARDO**

The pleasure is all mine.

**RIFF**

Let's go outside.

**BERNARDO**

I would not leave the ladies here alone. We will meet you in half an hour.

**RIFF**

Doc's drugstore?

*[Bernardo nods.]*

And no jazz before then.

**BERNARDO**

I understand the rules-Native Boy.

*[The lights is fading on them, on everyone but TONY.]*

**RIFF**

Spread the word, Diesel.

**DIESEL**

Right, Daddy-o.

**RIFF**

Let's get the chicks and kick it. Tony?

**TONY**

Maria...

*[Music stars.]*

*(Note : Ne fonctionne pas sur iPad ou sur tout support ne prenant pas en charge le format audio .ogg.)*

**RIFF** *[in darkness]*

Tony!

**DIESEL** *[in darkness]*

Ah, we'll see him at Doc's.

**TONY** *[dreamily]*

Maria...

## *#5 - Maria (Tony)*

**TONY** *[speaking dreamily over the music-he is now standing alone in the light]*

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SOUND I EVER HEARD.

**VOICES** *[off stage:]*

MARIA, MARIA, MARIA, MARIA . . .

**TONY**

ALL THE BEAUTIFUL SOUNDS OF THE WORLD IN A SINGLE WORD . . .

**VOICES** *[off stage:]*

MARIA, MARIA, MARIA, MARIA . . .

MARIA, MARIA . . .

**TONY**

MARIA!

I'VE JUST MET A GIRL NAMED MARIA,

AND SUDDENLY THAT NAME

WILL NEVER BE THE SAME

TO ME.

MARIA!

I'VE JUST KISSED A GIRL NAMED MARIA,

AND SUDDENLY I'VE FOUND

HOW WONDERFUL A SOUND

CAN BE.

MARIA!

SAY IT LOUD AND THERE'S MUSIC PLAYING—

SAY IT SOFT AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE PRAYING—

MARIA . . .

I'LL NEVER STOP SAYING

MARIA!

(MARIA X8)

MARIA!

SAY IT LOUD AND THERE'S MUSIC PLAYING—

SAY IT SOFT AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE PRAYING—

MARIA . . .

I'LL NEVER STOP SAYING

MARIA!

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SOUND I EVER HEARD—

MARIA.

*[During the song, the sate behind Tony has gone dark; by the time he has finished, it is set for the next scene.]*