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        <title><![CDATA[How ‘West Side Story’ cast stays connected online during coronavirus lockdown]]></title>
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            <media:title type="html">How ‘West Side Story’ cast stays connected online during coronavirus lockdown</media:title>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet … all the way, from your first Broadway preview to your last Zoom call.</p><p>Like all Broadway shows during the <strong>coronavirus pandemic</strong>, the <strong>revival of the classic </strong>musical “West Side Story” <strong>went dark March 12</strong>, just three weeks after opening night, with performances now planned to <strong>resume some time after June 7</strong>.</p><p>But the tight-knit young actors of <strong>“West Side Story,”</strong> many of whom are making their Great White Way debuts, have kept close with the help of technology.</p><p>“I think it’s a blessing we have the ability to communicate with each other in such easy ways,” says <strong>Dharon Jones</strong>, who plays Riff, during a video call with six other cast members: <strong>Shereen Pimentel</strong>, Yesenia Ayala, Kevin Zambrano, Kevin Csolak, Gabi Campo and Satori Folkes-Stone.</p><p>“Like, I can hit up Kevin [Csolak], and I’ll know how he’s doing in 30 seconds,” Jones says.</p><p>“We haven’t yet done the whole cast [on Zoom],” adds Csolak, a Jet, of the 50-strong company. “Because there’s so many people.”</p><p>That massive ensemble is spread out all around the country right now, from North Carolina to New Jersey and California. And, while they keep in touch, they’re also using their break for personal discovery.</p><p>Pimentel, who plays Maria, is at home in Los Angeles, making the most of her free time by trying out some big life changes.</p><p>“I’ve gotten to a place of wanting to transform a little,” she says. “Put aside artistry altogether — singing, everything… finding the joy in being a person.</p><p>“So I cut bangs, I dyed my hair and I did a bunch of stuff that I don’t do.”</p><p>Still, the entire cast is itching to get back onto the boards of the Broadway Theatre to dance at the gym and rumble under the highway.</p><div class="inline-slideshow"><div id="slideshow-15453976-2" class="slideshow-container "><div class="slides-wrapper"><div class="slide"><div class="slide-image"><noscript><img data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0006.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" /><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0006.jpg" /></noscript></noscript><img class="lazyload" src='data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C/svg%3E' data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0006.jpg" /></div><p><noscript><br /> <img  alt="west-side-story0006" data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0006.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=="><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0006.jpg" alt="west-side-story0006"></noscript><br /> </noscript></p><div class="slide-caption-wrapper"><div class="slide-caption">Flashback: Scenes from Ivo van Hove&#8217;s revival of &#8220;West Side Story&#8221; at the Broadway Theatre.</p><p class="credit">Jan Versweyveld</p></div></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-image"><noscript><img data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0001.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" /><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0001.jpg" /></noscript></noscript><img class="lazyload" src='data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C/svg%3E' data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0001.jpg" /></div><p><noscript><br /> <img  alt="west-side-story0001" data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0001.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=="><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0001.jpg" alt="west-side-story0001"></noscript><br /> </noscript></p><div class="slide-caption-wrapper"><div class="slide-caption">Maria (Shereen Pimentel) and Tony (Isaac Powell) in &#8220;West Side Story.&#8221;</p><p class="credit">Julieta Cervantes</p></div></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-image"><noscript><img data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0002.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" /><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0002.jpg" /></noscript></noscript><img class="lazyload" src='data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C/svg%3E' data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0002.jpg" /></div><p><noscript><br /> <img  alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld" data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0002.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=="><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0002.jpg" alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld"></noscript><br /> </noscript></p><div class="slide-caption-wrapper"><div class="slide-caption">The Jets face off with the Sharks in &#8220;West Side Story.&#8221;</p><p class="credit">Julieta Cervantes</p></div></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-image"><noscript><img data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0003.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" /><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0003.jpg" /></noscript></noscript><img class="lazyload" src='data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C/svg%3E' data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0003.jpg" /></div><p><noscript><br /> <img  alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld" data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0003.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=="><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0003.jpg" alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld"></noscript><br /> </noscript></p><div class="slide-caption-wrapper"><div class="slide-caption">Several actors have suffered injuries in previews due to the intense nature of the choreography.</p><p class="credit">Jan Versweyveld</p></div></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-image"><noscript><img data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0004.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" /><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0004.jpg" /></noscript></noscript><img class="lazyload" src='data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C/svg%3E' data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0004.jpg" /></div><p><noscript><br /> <img  alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld" data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0004.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=="><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0004.jpg" alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld"></noscript><br /> </noscript></p><div class="slide-caption-wrapper"><div class="slide-caption">Maria (Shereen Pimentel) and Tony (Isaac Powell) in &#8220;West Side Story.&#8221;</p><p class="credit">Jan Versweyveld</p></div></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-image"><noscript><img data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0005.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" /><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0005.jpg" /></noscript></noscript><img class="lazyload" src='data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C/svg%3E' data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0005.jpg" /></div><p><noscript><br /> <img  alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld" data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0005.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=="><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0005.jpg" alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld"></noscript><br /> </noscript></p><div class="slide-caption-wrapper"><div class="slide-caption">The ensemble cast of &#8220;West Side Story&#8221; in action.</p><p class="credit">Jan Versweyveld</p></div></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-image"><noscript><img data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0007.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" /><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0007.jpg" /></noscript></noscript><img class="lazyload" src='data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C/svg%3E' data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0007.jpg" /></div><p><noscript><br /> <img  alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld" data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0007.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=="><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0007.jpg" alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld"></noscript><br /> </noscript></p><div class="slide-caption-wrapper"><div class="slide-caption">Amar Ramasar and Yesenia Ayala in &#8220;West Side Story.&#8221;</p><p class="credit">Jan Versweyveld</p></div></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-image"><noscript><img data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0008.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" /><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0008.jpg" /></noscript></noscript><img class="lazyload" src='data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C/svg%3E' data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0008.jpg" /></div><p><noscript><br /> <img  alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld" data- data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0008.jpg" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=="><noscript><img  data-src="/uploads/2020/04/west-side-story0008.jpg" alt="production still _ do not purge _ west side storyPhoto Credit: Jan Versweyveld"></noscript><br /> </noscript></p><div class="slide-caption-wrapper"><div class="slide-caption">Dharon Jones, Amar Ramasar and the cast of &#8220;West Side Story.&#8221;</p><p class="credit">Jan Versweyveld</p></div></div></div><div class="slideshow-controls-wrapper mobile"></div></div><header class="slideshow-header"><div class="slideshow-header-inner"></div></header></div></div><p>“I’m excited to do ‘America’ again, because that’s the hardest number ever because it’s so athletic,” says Ayala, who plays Anita. “Especially being so sedentary in this moment it just seems like it’s going to be such a huge rush.”</p><p>Zambrano, who plays a Shark, says he longs for something you can’t get while social-distancing: curtain call. “Once we turn around and face the audience altogether and bow, it’ll be super special,” he said. “Almost like opening night all over again.”</p>]]></content:encoded>
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