Last night, Romeo and Juliet came to campus and discovered the pain caused by prejudice.

Depicted through the roles of Tony and Maria in the Penn State Thespians' performance of West Side Story, this classic tale of forbidden love transcended the boundaries not only of ethnic origin, but also of race.

The all-student production was presented professionally, and their commendable efforts were evident.

Most notable was Jeffrey Wolf's excellent performance as Bernardo. His penetrating glances and piercing stares characterized the animosity and hostility his character felt.

The dancing and coordination of the actors improved greatly as the show went on; it wasn't until the end of the first act that everyone was completely in sync with each other. Yet, the end of the first act marked the highlight of the dance sequences, when almost everyone was onstage for the second rendition of "Tonight."

The 50's-style of "dirty dancing" was well done but could not compare to the remarkable executions of the fight and rumble scenes. The cast was extremely successful in mastering the art of fighting, making it appear authentic and believable.

The show was worth it for the Jets' hilarious rendition of "Gee, Officer Krupke" in the second act.

But this performance of West Side Story was about more than just colorful costumes, strong accents and witty one-liners.

It represented more than the story of gangs of different nationalities. The Jets, dressed in white shirts, were fighting against the Sharks, dressed in all black. Their war became black against white, reflecting that of current racial problems, and urged the need for an immediate end to violence and hatred which stems from color.

The character of Doc summarized it best when he questioned the Jets' indecision over which weapons to use in their rumble against the Sharks.

"Weapons?" he asked. "Why couldn't you just play basketball?"