BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — With the new release of West Side Story, the movie, 7ABC sat down with the Western New York actress who played "Anita" in St. Mary's High School's rendition of the musical.
Barbara LaRou is part of the high school's class of 1963.
LaRou was among the first high school students in the country to perform the musical.
When the play was made available for acting, the cast actually received a telegram from Leonard Bernstein, the composer of the musical, wishing the them luck!
Fast forward to today, after years of being in the business, LaRou who is considered to be a pioneer for performing arts in Western New York, is looking forward to the new movie.
"To see a remake of it. I mean the movie was impressive when I saw it. I believe I saw it after I did the play. I didn't see it before hand," St. Mary's High School class of 1963 and actress, Barbara LaRou said. "They have a new take on it, as far as a modern way of thinking as far as race relations and so forth."
West Side Story the movie is out in theatres. It features a love-at-first site scenario and is based in based in New York City, in 1957.
