Bernstein received a surprising number of telegrams from the leading Broadway songwriters of the day, including Harold Arlen, Dorothy Fields, Burton Lane, Alan Jay Lerner, Richard Rodgers, Arthur Schwartz, and Jule Styne. West Side Story is a modern version of Romeo and Juliet, as there are two gangs (families), who constantly war against each other, but two lovers of opposite. Griffith, the show’s producers who, presumably intentionally mangled the song title “Maria” as “Martha” (c) from the lyricists/librettist team of Betty Comden and Adolph Green, previous Bernstein collaborators, referencing Bernstein’s father, Samuel, who had wanted his son to join and take over the family business-the Samuel Bernstein Hair Company (d) from librettist Arthur Laurents (e) from Carol Lawrence, the original Maria (f) from Roger Stevens, an early producer and constant supporter (h) and from songwriter Cole Porter. Included in those saved are the seven on display here: (a) from Betty Bogart, wife of Humphrey Bogart and best known as Lauren Bacall (b) from Harold “Hal” S. Leonard Bernstein saved approximately 140 opening night telegrams that he received when West Side Story opened on Broadway.
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