Production Photographs Production Photographs: “Somewhere Ballet”

In spring of 1958, Look magazine had planned a feature spread on Carol Lawrence, the original Maria. Photographer Paul Fusco took hundreds of photographs of Ms. Lawrence, including dozens of production shots from West Side Story. Although Look never ran the article, the photographs, several of which are seen here for the first time, offer rare views of the original Broadway production. [The Library had the first prints made from the original negatives for this exhibition.]

From the “Somewhere Ballet,” a dreamlike scene in which Tony, Maria, and the rest of the cast imagine a world without prejudice or violence.