My West Side Story: A Memoir

Chakiris was grateful to Jerome Robbins for paving his life's path by bringing Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Laurents together in his apartment in 1949.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2023
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

"Natalie Wood and the "lovely" Richard Beymer, to the mercurial Jerome Robbins and the "passionate" Rita Moreno, with whom Chakiris remains friends. "I know exactly where my gratitude belongs," Chakiris writes, "and I still marvel at how, unbeknownst to me at the time, the joyful path of my life was paved one night in 1949 when Jerome Robbins sat Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Laurents down in his apartment and announced, 'I have an idea.'

"I was 17 years old and had just finished my first year at the American Ballet Theatre School. Robbins, who was then the artistic director of the New York City Ballet, had been my idol since I was a child. I had seen him dance countless times and had studied his choreography closely. So, when he called me into his office, I was both nervous and excited.

"Robbins told me that he had been thinking about creating a new ballet that would explore the themes of love, loss, and redemption. He wanted me to play the lead role, a young man who goes through a series of emotional struggles and eventually finds his way back to love and happiness.

"I was thrilled at the opportunity to play such a complex and challenging role. I spent months rehearsing and perfecting my movements, working closely with Robbins and the rest of the cast. The production was a huge success, and I received critical acclaim for my performance.

"Looking back on that experience, I realize that Robbins's decision to cast me in that role was a turning point in my life. It gave me the confidence and the motivation to pursue my dreams and to never give up on myself. It also taught me the value of hard work, dedication, and perseverance, and how those qualities can lead to success and fulfillment.

"I am grateful to Jerome Robbins for taking a chance on me and for giving me the opportunity to play such a significant role in his ballet. It was a life-changing experience that I will never forget."

Weight: 362g
Dimension: 222 x 143 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781493072330