writings & projects.

essays.

“Give ‘em somethin’ to believe in”: Reinterpreting Teenage Delinquency
and the Transversal Poetics of West Side Story

completed: june 2004
advisor: bryan reynolds
download: please email me for password

abstract:
Traditional methods of literary criticism tend to isolate the body of work being examined and ignore the historical, ideological, socio-cultural, or political factors that contribute to the development and execution of a written or performed work. The “investigative-expansive mode” of interpretation, as developed by Bryan Reynolds, embraces these dynamics as a vital component of critical inquiry and encourages the integration of transversal theory in order to better understand and contextualize many literary and dramatic works. In this examination, the well-known stage and film musical West Side Story is considered with special attention to the issues of juvenile delinquency and gang membership surfacing in the United States at the time the show was conceived and developed. Aspects of the collaborative process between Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, and Stephen Sondheim, as well as a close assessment of the sociological interpretations of teenage delinquency that both inform and reflect the representations of delinquency in West Side Story, play an important role in this discussion. These distinct elements unite within West Side Story to create a challenging portrait of teenage gangs and their relationship to the controlling forces of the adult community that surround, contain, and influence them. West Side Story’s stirring message of hope and reconciliation, as told through music and dance, promotes a unique transversal interpretation and provides a powerful ideological alternative for both the characters and the audience.

web.

ClamChowder.biz


Translated new website layout into CSS-based
website for popular restaurant industry book.














LassoTheMoon.biz


Built out newly designed website and optimized for optimal performance in search engines.







DanceHideaway.com


Built out website for popular Los Angeles dance venue.











LuminoMagazine.com


Assistant to Art Director and Editor of popular
e-zine. Build out html pages for web and
assist in development of database driven site.








BiscottiZone.com


Responsible for website design, web copy,
and search engine optimization for
top performance in search engines.











CompetitionAircraft.com


Responsible for website re-design and
search engine optimization for top
performance in search engines.

graphics.

in progress:

Graphics for the English edition of a second book by Stefanija Stasas featuring unique Lithuanian recipes and exquisit photographs of Lithuanian countryside.