New for this fall, Brooklyn College’s Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies (PRLS) Department is offering a unique cultural and educational series on West Side Story (WSS): The Brooklyn Connection. Part of the intercultural competency rubric in general education at Brooklyn College and taught by Associate Professor María Pérez y González the project centers on the 10-time Academy Award-winning 1961 film and its connection to the forthcoming December 2021 release of a version produced by Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Kevin McConnell, and Rita Moreno. The course explores the artistic and cultural impact of West Side Story through the lenses of the humanities and social sciences, highlighting Puerto Rico’s history with the United States, immigration, ethno-racial relations, gender, gangs, language, music, character analysis, and more. Featured lectures—which are also free and open to the public—include Tony Kushner, playwright, author, and screenwriter; Bobby Sanabria, multiple Grammy-nominated percussionist, composer, arranger, and producer; and Jeanine Tesori, composer, vocal arranger, conductor, and producer. Professor emerita of PRLS and recipient of the 2020 Herbert H. Lehman Prize for Distinguished Service in New York History, Virginia Sánchez Korrol, served as historical consultant. “We are thrilled to have organized this lecture series of special guests connected with the film to share their expertise, experiences, and insight for students as they move through the socio-historic background and artistry of West Side Story,” said Pérez y González. “We are excited to invite our extended Brooklyn College community—including the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Visual, Media, and Performing Arts, alumni, and the general public—to these free lectures.” West Side Story (WSS): The Brooklyn Connection Schedule (PRLS 2105: New York Latinx Culture & the Arts. All events run from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and held over Zoom.) Wednesday, Sept. 1: PRLS Professor Emerita, Virginia Sánchez Korrol (educator, historian, and author) Monday, Sept. 20: Bobby Sanabria (percussionist, music composer, arranger, and producer) Wednesday, Sept. 29: Tony Kushner (playwright, author, and screenwriter) Wednesday, Oct. 13: Ernesto Acevedo Muñoz (educator, author, and director) Wednesday, Oct. 27: Professor Juan González (broadcast journalist, author, educator, and activist) Wednesday, Nov. 10 (rescheduled from Nov. 3): Victor Cruz (actor, creator of Tita’s World, and producer) Monday, Dec. 6: Jeanine Tesori (music composer, vocal arranger, conductor, and producer) TBA: Steven Spielberg (film director, producer, and screenwriter) For more information, contact Associate Professor Pérez y González.
