Acte 1/scène 1

*5:00 P.M. The Street.*

*(The neighborhood. A suggestion of city streets and alleyways; a workable brick wall.)*

## *#1 - Prologue (Orchestra)*

*(Note : Ne fonctionne pas sur iPad ou sur tout support ne prenant pas en charge le format audio .ogg.)*
*The opening is musical: half-danced, half-mimed with occasional phrases of dialogue. It primarily a condensation of the growing rivalry between two teenage gangs, the JETS and the SHARKS, each of which has its ownn prideful uniform. The boys - side-burned, long-haired - are vital, restless, sardonic; the SHARKS are Puerto Ricans, the JETS an anthology of what is called "American."*

*The action begins with the JETS in possession of the area: owing, enjoying, loving their "home." Their leader is RIFF: glowing, driving, intelligent, slightly whacky. His lieutenant is DIESEL: big, slow, steady, nice. The youngest member of the gang is BABY JOHN: awed at everything, including that he is a JET, trying to act the big man. His buddy is A-RAB, an explosive little ferret who enjoys everything and understands the seriousness of nothing. The most agressive is ACTION: a catlike ball of fury. We will get to know these boys better later, as well as BIG DEAL - a bespectacled self-styled expert.*

*The first interruption of the JETS' sunny mood is the sharply punctuated entrance of the leader of the Sharks, BERNARDO: handsome proud, fluid, a chip on his sardonic shoulder. The JETS, by far in the majority, flick him off. He returns with other SHARKS: they, too, are flicked off. But the numerical supremacy, the strength of the Jets, is gradually being threatened. The beginnings of warfare are mild at first: a boy being tripped up, or being sandbagged with a flour sack or even being spit on -all with overly elaborate apologies.*

*Finally, A-rab comes across the suddenly deserted area, pretending to be an airplane. There is no sound as he zooms along in fancied flight. Then over the wall drops BERNARDO. Another SHARK, another and another appear, blocking A-RAB's panicky efforts at escape. They close in, grab him, pummel him, as a*
SHARK on top of the wall is stationed as lookout. Finally, BERNARDO bends over A-RAB and makes a gesture (piercing his ear); the lookout whistles; JETS tear on, SHARKS tear on, and a free for-all breaks out. RIFF goes at once to A-RAB, like a protective father. The fight is stopped by a POLICE WHISTLE, louder and louder, and the arrival of a big goonlike cop, KRUPKE, and a plainclothesman, SCHRANK. SCHRANK is strong, always in command; he has a charming, pleasant manner, which he often employs to cover his venom and his fear.

**KRUPKE**

Knock it off! Settle down.

**SCHRANK**

All right: Kill each other! ...But not on my beat.

**RIFF** *[such innocence]*

Why if it isn't Lieutenant Schrank.

**SEVERAL JETS** *[dancing class manners]*

To of the day, Lieutenant Schrank.

**BERNARDO** *[one with Riff]*

And Officer Krupke!

**SEVERAL SHARKS**

Top of the day, Officer Krupke.

**SCHRANK**

Boy, what you Puerto Ricans have done to this neighborhood. Which one of 'em clobbered ya, A-rab?

*[A-rab looks to Riff, who takes over with great helpful*
seriousness.]

**RIFF**

As a matter of factuality, sir, we suspicion the job was done by a cop.

**SNOWBOY**

Two cops.

**A-RAB**

Oh, at least!

**KRUPKE**

Impossible!

**SCHRANK**

Didn't nobody tell ya there's a difference between bein' a stool pigeon and cooperatin' with the law?

**RIFF**

You told us the difference, sir. And we all chipped in for a prize for the first guy who can figure it out.

**ACTION** *[indicating Schrank]*

Maybe buddy boy should get the prize.

**SCHRANK**

Don't buddy me, Action! I got a hot surprise for you: you hoodlums don't own the streets. There's been too much raiding between you and the PRs. All right, Bernardo, get your trash outa here. *[Mock Charm.]* Please.

**BERNARDO**

Let's go, Sharks.

*[They exit.]*

**SCHRANK** *[to Jets]*

If I don't put down the roughhouse, I get put down -on a traffic corner. Your friends don't like traffic corners. So you buddy boys are gonna play ball with me. I gotta put up with them and so do you. You're gonna make nice with them PRs from now on. Because otherwise I'm gonna beat the crap outa every one of ya and then run ya in. Say good-bye to the nice boys, Krupke.

**KRUPKE**

Good-bye, boys.

*[He follows Schrank out.]*

**SNOWBOY** *[imitating Krupke]*

Good-bye, boys.

**A-RAB**

They make a very nice couple.

**ACTION** *[bitterly]*

You hoodlums don't own the streets.

**SNOWBOY**

Go play in the park!

**ACTION**

Keep off the grass!

**BABY JOHN**

Get outa the house!

**ACTION**

Keep off the block!

**A-RAB**

Get outa here!

**ACTION**

Keep off the world! A gang that down own a street is nuthin'!

**RIFF**

WE DO OWN IT! Jets -square off! Acemen:

*[DIESEL, ACTION and SNOWBOY line up at attention]*

Rocketmen:

*[three others line up]*

Rank-and-file:

*[Sheepishly, A-RAB trudges into position, BABY JOHN behind him.]*

**BABY JOHN** *[shocked, to A-rab]*

Gee, your ear's got blood on it!

**A-RAB** *[proudly]*

I'm a casual, Baby John.

**BABY JOHN** *[examining the ear]*

Them PRs! They branded you!

**SNOWBOY**

That makes you a Puerto Rican tomato. Cha-cha-cha, señorita?

**RIFF**

Cut the frabbajabba. Which one of the Sharks did it?

**A-RAB**

Bernardo. 'Cause I heard him say: "Thees ees for stink-bombin' my old man's store."

*[He makes the same gesture Bernardo made when he pierced his ear.]*

**BABY JOHN**

Ouch!

**ACTION**

You shoulda done worse. Them PRs're the reason my old man's gone bust.

**RIFF**

Who says?

**ACTION**

My old man says.

**BABY JOHN** *[to A-rab]*

My old man says his old man woulda gone bust anyway.

**ACTION**

Your old man says that?

**BABY JOHN**

My old man says them Puerto Ricans is ruinin' free ennaprise.

**ACTION**

And what're we doin' about it?

*[Pushing through the game comes a scrawny teen-age girl, dressed in an outfit that is a pathetic attempt to imitate that of the Jets. Perhaps we have glimpsed her in the fracas before the police am e in. Her name is ANYBODYS.]*

**ANYBODYS**

Gassin', crabbin'-

**ACTION**

You still around?

**ANYBODYS**

Listen I was a smash in that fight. Oh, Riff, Riff, I was murder!

**RIFF**

Come on, Anybodys

**ANYBODYS**

Riff, how about me getting' in the gang now?

**A-RAB**

How about the gang gettin' in -ahhh, who'd wanta!

**ANYBODYS**

You cheap beast!

*[She lunges for A-rab, but Riff pulls her off and pushes her out.]*

**RIFF**

The road, little lady, the road.

*[In a moment of bravado, just before she goes, Anybodys spits-but cautiously.]*

Round out!

*[This is Riff's summoning of the gang, and they surround him.]*

We fought hard for this territory and it's ours. But with those cops servin' as cover, the PRs can move in right under our noses and

take it away. Unless we speed fast and clean 'em up in one all out fight!

**ACTION** *[eagerly]*

A rumble! *[A jabbing gesture.*] Chung! Chung!

**RIFF**

Cool, Action boy. The Sharks want a place, too, and they are tough. They might ask for bottles of knives or zip guns.

**BABY JOHN**

Zip guys... Gee!

**RIFF**

I'm not finalizin' and sayin' they will: I'm only sayin' they might and we gotta be prepared. Now what's your mood?

**ACTION**

I say go, go!!

**SNOWBOY**

But if they say knives or guns

**BABY JOHN**

I say let's forget the whole thing.

**DIESEL**

What do you say, Riff?

**RIFF**

I say this turf is small, but it's all we got. I wanna hold it like we always held it: with skin! But if they say switchblades, I'll get a switchblade. I say I want the Jets to be Number One, to sail, to hold the sky!

**DIESEL**

Then rev us off. *[A punching gesture.]* Voom-va voom!

**ACTION**

Chung chung!

**A-RAB**

Cracko, jacko!

**SNOWBOY**

Riga diga dum!

**BABY JOHN**

Pam pam!!

**RIFF**

OK, buddy boys, we rumble!

*[General glee.]*

Now protocality calls

for a war council to decide on weapons. I'll make the challenge

to Bernardo.

**SNOWBOY**

You gotta take a lieutenant.

**ACTION**

That's me!

**RIFF**

That's Tony.

**ACTION**

Who need Tony?

## *#2 - Jet Song (Riff, Jets)*

*Music starts.*

**RIFF**

Against the Sharks we need every man we got.

**ACTION**

Tony don't belong any more.

**RIFF**

Cut it, Action boy. I and Tony started the Jets.

**ACTION**

Well, he acts like he don't wanna belong.

**BABY JOHN**

Who wouldn't wanna belong to the Jets!

**ACTION**

Tony ain't been with us for over a month.

**SNOWBOY**

What about the day we clobbered the Emeralds?

**A-RAB**

Which we couldn't have done without Tony.

**BABY JOHN**

He saved my ever lovin' neck.

**RIFF**

Right. He's always come through for us and he will now.

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

*[He sings:]*

WHEN YOU'RE A JET,

YOU'RE A JET ALL THE WAY

FROM YOUR FIRST CIGARETTE

TO YOUR LAST DYIN' DAY.

WHEN YOU'RE A JET,

IF THE SPIT HITS THE FAN,

YOU GOT BROTHERS AROUND,

YOU'RE A FAMILY MAN!

YOU'RE NEVER ALONE,

YOU'RE NEVER DISCONNECTED!

YOU'RE HOME WITH YOUR OWN:

WHEN COMPANY'S EXPECTED,

YOU'RE WELL PROTECTED!

THEN YOU ARE SET

WITH A CAPITAL J,

WHICH YOU'LL NEVER FORGET

TILL THEY CART YOU AWAY.

WHEN YOU'RE A JET,

YOU STAY

A JET!

*[He speaks:]*

I know Tony like I know. I guarantee you can count him in.

**ACTION**

In, out, let's get crackin'.

**A-RAB**

Where you gonna find Bernardo?

**RIFF**

At the dance tonight at the gym.

**BIG DEAL**

But the gym's neutral territory.

**RIFF** *[sweet innocence]*

I'm gonna make nice there! I'm only gonna challenge him.

**A-RAB**

Great, Daddy-O!

**RIFF** *[Spoken]*

So everybody dress up sweet and sharp. Meet Tony and me at them.

And walk tall!

**A-RAB**

We always talk tall!

**BABY JOHN**

We're Jets!

**ACTION**

The greatest!

*[HE sings with BABY JOHN:]*

WHEN YOU'RE A JET,

YOU'RE THE TOP CAT IN TOWN,

YOU'RE THE GOLD-METAL KID

WITH THE HEAVYWEIGHT CROWN!

*[A-RAB, ACTION, BIG DEAL sings:]*

WHEN YOU'RE A JET,

YOU'RE THE SWINGIN'EST THING.

LITTLE BOY, YOU'RE A MAN;

LITTLE MAN, YOU'RE A KING!

*[ALL:]*

THE JETS ARE IN GEAR,

OUR CYLINDERS ARE CLICKIN'!

THE SHARKS'LL STEER CLEAR

'CAUSE EV'RY PUERTO RICAN

'S A LOUSY CHICKEN!

HERE COME THE JETS

LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL

SOMEONE GETS IN OUR WAY,

SOMEONE DON'T FEEL SO WELL.

HERE COME THE JETS:

LITTLE WORLD, STEP ASIDE!

BETTER GO UNDERGROUND,

BETTER RUN, BETTER HIDE.

WE'RE DRAWIN' THE LINE,

SO KEEP YOUR NOSES HIDDEN!

WE'RE HANGIN' A SIGN,

SAYS "VISITORS FORBIDDEN"-

AND WE AIN'T KIDDIN'!

HERE COME THE JETS,

YEAH! AN' WE'RE GONNA BEAT

EV'RY LAST BUGGIN' GANG

ON THE WHOLE BUGGIN' STREET!

*[DIESEL and ACTION.]*

ON THE WHOLE

*[ALL:]*

EVER-!

MOTHER-!

LOVIN'-!

STREET!

*(BLACKOUT)*