Character page for the West Side Story musical and its 1961 film adaptation. The 2021 film version has its own page here.
Compare the character sheet for Romeo and Juliet for their inspirations.
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Main Characters
Tony
Tony
1961 film
Portrayed by: Larry Kert (1957 Broadway), Don McKay (1958 West End), Richard Beymer (1961 film), Matt Cavanaugh (2009 Broadway), Isaac Powell (2020 Broadway), Ansel Elgort (2021 film)
Singing voice: Jimmy Bryant (1961 film)
"♫ Could be, who knows?
There's somethin' due any day
I will know right away, soon as it shows
It may come cannonballin' down through the sky
Gleam in its eye, bright as a rose. ♫"
The Romeo analogue and the male lead. He's the former joint-leader of the Jets who's gone straight, but still Riff's best friend.
- Ambiguously Absent Parent: His mother is mentioned in the stage version and 1961 film, as Riff jokingly says he stays with Tony's family because "his ma is hot for him," and later he imagines introducing her to Maria and her attending their wedding. His dad is not mentioned in any version; in Irving Shulman's novelization, he's mentioned as having been killed at the Battle of Tarawa in 1943, while Mrs. Wyzek does appear in one of the chapters.
- Anti-Hero: While he's the hero, he has a shady past as part of a gang, and commits a murder during the show, even if it's motivated by his best friend's death.
- Beware the Nice Ones: He's charming, polite, affable and genuinely loves Maria, who is just trying to make a better life for himself. He's also a former gang member, that murders a man in retaliation for killing his best friend.
- Disappeared Dad: His mom is mentioned in the stage version, but his dad is not. In Irving Shulman's novelization, it's mentioned that his dad was killed fighting in the Pacific.
- Expy: Of Romeo, transferred to 1950s New York. He's a high-ranking member of a group who falls in love with the ingenue relative of the faction his people are feuding with.
- Go Out with a Smile: After falling to his absolute lowest point when he's falsely told that Maria is dead, and then getting fatally shot by Chino, he smiles when he gets to see Maria one last time.
- The Hero: He and Maria are the lead roles.
- The Hero Dies: Just like his Shakespearean counterpart, Tony dies at the end of the story.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Riff. The two have been living together for years and are akin to brothers. Tony and Riff repeatedly say "womb to tomb, sperm to worm" to emphasize this.
- Informed Ability: The Jets speak fondly of Tony's performance at past rumbles, but apart from him stabbing a non-resistant Bernardo, we don't actually see him fight.
- Love at First Sight: The moment he sees Maria, he becomes immediately infatuated with her.
- Manly Tears: He bursts into these when he gets the false news that Maria is dead.
- Morality Pet: Is this to Riff. Tony is much more pacifistic and idealistic than Riff, but Riff brings out a knife to fight Bernardo after Bernardo physically harasses Tony, who's trying to break up the rumble. This is almost inverted with Riff's role in regards to Tony: whereas his friendship with Tony humanizes Riff's otherwise rough and unlikable character, Riff's death provokes the normally sweet-tempered Tony to kill Bernardo.
- My God, What Have I Done?: After killing Bernardo in a blind rage, and after all the others have fled, due to sirens blaring, Tony lingers a moment, finally realizing in horror that he's done the opposite of what he promised to do, and screams "Mariaaaaa!" in tears, and is nearly caught, before he too flees.
- Named by the Adaptation: He gets the surname Wyzek in Irving Shulman's novelization of the musical.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Tony is directly responsible for Riff's death in all versions of the story. How it usually plays out is that he tries to restrain Riff, or pull him away right before he can deliver a killing blow on Bernardo, which results in Riff running right into Bernardo's knife.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: It's easy to miss because "Tony" is more of a normal name than the other Jets' nicknames, but everyone calls him that instead of his birth name of "Anton". Amusingly, in the 2021 film María initially thinks his real name is "Anthony" before he corrects her.
- Retired Badass: He's looked up to by Riff and the Jets as having been a great gang leader, but he's long left that part of his life behind him.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: With Maria.
- Tall, Dark, and Handsome: In most iterations, he's quite tall, and even a few of the Sharks' girls comment on how handsome they think he is.
- Token Good Teammate: He's the only one of the Jets who doesn't feel oppressed by the Sharks' presence.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: He's generally portrayed as this in the stage version and also the 1961 film, ever hopeful that something great is coming to him.
María
María
1961 film
Portrayed by: Carol Lawrence (1957 Broadway), Marlys Watters (1958 West End), Natalie Wood (1961 film), Josefina Scaglione (2009 Broadway), Shereen Pimentel (2020 Broadway), Rachel Zegler (2021 film)
Singing voice: Marni Nixon (1961 film)
"♫ I feel pretty, oh, so pretty,
I feel pretty and witty and bright,
And I pity
Any girl who isn't me tonight. ♫"
The Juliet analogue and the female lead. She's a Puerto Rican ingenue whose brother Bernardo is the leader of the Sharks.
- Arranged Marriage: She's forcibly engaged to Chino in the stage version and 1961 film, despite having lived in New York for only a month.
- Beware the Nice Ones: The sweetest and kindest character in the show, who only wants the gangs to get along, but after everything she has been through, she viciously threatens to shoot down not just Chino, but every member on both sides of the gang war. She does, however, seemingly relent, after Tony's death seems to end the violence between the Sharks and the Jets, and Baby John's personal attempt to comfort her by gently wrapping her in her shawl.
- Break the Cutie: In just one night her brother is killed by her lover and her lover is killed by her unwanted fiancé.
- Christianity is Catholic: She wears a crucifix necklace, her room has a crucifix on the wall, and there are paintings of Jesus and Mary throughout their apartment.
- Expy: Of Juliet, transferred to 1950s New York. She's the beautiful ingenue who tragically falls in love with a man her faction is bitterly feuding with.
- Girly Skirt Twirl: She twirls her skirt after putting on her dress for the dance and realizing how beautiful it looks.
- Heroic BSoD: She is emotionally broken by the end of the night following the death of her brother and Tony.
- Iconic Outfit: The white dress, red belt, and crucifix necklace that she wears to the dance.
- The Ingenue:
- In the original and 1961 film, she certainly means well, but she is far too naive and sheltered to truly understand how the complicated animosity between the two gangs work. She thinks sending Tony to stop the fight will actually work when even he doesn't think this will have any effect and only goes along with it because he loves her. This unwittingly causes the death of her brother, Riff, and eventually Tony too.
- Innocent Soprano: Maria is the naive and romantic young Juliet analogue in this tale of Star-Crossed Lovers, and the part fittingly calls for a strong soprano. Her more cynical good friend Anita is a mezzo for contrast.
- Invisible Parents: Her mother is mentioned, but her father is heard. In the 2021 film they're Adapted Out, with she and Bernardo implied to be orphans instead.
- Lady in Red: In the 1961 film and most stage productions, she wears a red dress for the final scene.
- Love at First Sight: As per being an Expy of Juliet would warrant.
- Massive Numbered Siblings: In Irving Shulman's novelization, Maria is mentioned to have at least three younger sisters who came to New York with her, after Bernardo and their parents went ahead. Apart from Bernardo, we don't see any other relatives in the stage version or 1961 film.
- Nice Girl: She is sweet, kind and only wants everyone to live in peace with one another.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: She gives a massive one to both the Sharks and the Jets, that their hatred cost the lives of three people.Maria: We all killed [Tony], and my brother and Riff. I can kill now, because I hate now!
- A Saint Named Mary: The Ingenue heroine is named Maria. Lampshaded, Tony sings that her name is "almost like praying".
- Sanity Slippage: After Tony's death.
- Spared by the Adaptation: Unlike Juliet, she doesn't die along with her lover and gets to take over the Prince's role of delivering the final "The Reason You Suck" Speech to both sides.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: With Tony.
- That Liar Lies: When Chino tells her that Tony killed Bernardo, Maria hysterically accuses him of lying.
- Virgin in a White Dress: She's the only girl at the dance in white to symbolize her purity and innocence, though there is a red sash tying it to indicate her ties to the Sharks through her brother Bernardo. She is not initially impressed, saying "white is for babies!" in the 1961 film and comparing it to a wedding shroud in the 2021 film. But once she sees herself in it, she is amazed how beautiful she looks.
The Jets
In General
The Jets
1961 film
Tony: Womb to tomb.
Riff: Sperm to worm.
A gang of white Americans in New York City's Upper West Side. In general, they fill the role of the Montagues.
- Band of Brothers: No matter what, the Jets fight to protect their own. In "Jet Song," Riff describes them all as brothers.
- Character Tic: Snapping their fingers, which they do as an intimidation tactic, is one of the most famous traits about the Jets.
- Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: Most productions and the 1961 film have them wearing blue and yellow, while the 2021 film has them wearing blue and grey.
- Eagleland: While the Jets are of Irish, Italian, and Polish ancestry, they are all united by their love for America and their distrust of anyone who wasn't born there.
- Flat Character: Apart from Riff, Ice, Diesel, A-Rab, Action, Baby John, and Anybodys, the rest of the Jets get little characterization and mostly just appear in the background. This can vary based on the version and/or stage production.
- Freudian Excuse: On top of growing up in a poverty-stricken neighborhood, various comments make it clear that most of the members come from broken homes and have Parental Issues.
- My God, What Have I Done?: They're deeply ashamed of themselves for attempting to rape Anita and for ultimately being responsible for the deaths of Riff, Bernardo, and Tony.
- "Not So Different" Remark: María tells the gang in her "The Reason You Suck" Speech that they're just as responsible as the Sharks for Riff, Bernardo, and Tony's deaths.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Most of the Jets are referred to by a nickname, like Ice, Diesel, or Big Deal.
- Psychopathic Manchild: Most of the Jets are dangerously immature to varying degrees, but Riff is the biggest example.
- Race Lift: The 2020 Broadway revival made the Jets a mixed-race gang, including several black members.
- Small Name, Big Ego: The whole point of "Jet Song" is that they see themselves as the greatest gang in history, even though, in reality, they are just one of hundreds of nearly identical gangs strewn throughout New York City. This is hammered in during the 2021 film, where they finish the song while standing on top of a pile of construction rubble; they think they're the best, but are inevitably going to be pushed aside to make room for Lincoln Center. Their meeting with Abe and Rory later on also shows that compared to hardened career criminals like them, they're just a bunch of inexperienced teenagers. Justified in-universe as they are stated to have already beaten and displaced several other rival gangs.
- Teens Are Monsters: They are teens, between the ages of 14 and 18, and they engage in a lot of unlawful, troubling behavior.
The Boys
Riff
Riff
1961 film
Portrayed by: Michael Callan (1957 Broadway), George Chakiris (1958 West End), Russ Tamblyn (1961 film), Cody Green (2009 Broadway), Dharon E. Jones (2020 Broadway), Mike Faist (2021 film)
Singing voice: Tucker Smith (1961 film)
"♫ When you're a Jet
You're a Jet all the way
From your first cigarette
To your last dyin' day. ♫"
The quick-tempered but zany leader of the Jets and Tony's close friend.
He is analogous to both Mercutio (as Romeo's best friend and main Plucky Comic Relief) and Lord Montague (the leader of the Montague half of the Feuding Families) since Mercutio, as a relative of the Prince of Verona, was a neutral party.
- Affably Evil: He's a teenage gang leader, not to mention a bigoted racist, but he's quite suave and entertaining to watch.
- Ambiguously Absent Parent: Neither his father or mother are around as he mentions his only choice aside from living with Tony's family is living with his uncle that he hates.
- As You Know: Just as "Jet Song" begins, Riff mentions that he and Tony started the Jets, something that most, if not all, of the other Jets should already know.
- A Father to His Men: The script for the 1957 Broadway version directly states this. During the fight at the end of the prologue, which in this version is incited by Bernardo piercing A-Rab's ear, it says "RIFF goes at once to A-RAB, like a protective father."
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Tony. The two have been living together for years and are akin to brothers. Riff and Tony repeatedly say "womb to tomb, sperm to worm" to emphasize this.
- I Gave My Word: He ropes Tony into coming to the dance by promising the rest of the Jets that he will be there, before he's even gone to talk to him.
- The Lancer: It's implied — and confirmed in the novelization — that the Jets started with Tony as the leader and Riff as his right-hand man. Riff even tries to convince him to take command at the rumble. After "Cool," there's mentions in the script that Riff now realizes that the Jets are his gang, not Tony's anymore. In the novelization, Riff is driven by a need to prove the Jets are still a strong gang with him as leader instead of Tony.
- The Leader: Of the Jets.
- Motor Mouth: He talks fast once he's excited.
- Named by the Adaptation: He gets the surname Lorton in Irving Shulman's novelization of the musical.
- Pet the Dog: He has a couple moments in the prologue of the 1961 film, particularly tossing back a boy's basketball and steering the Jets away from a little girl's chalk drawing on the pavement.
- Politically Incorrect Hero: Much like the rest of the Jets, he has a prejudice towards the Puerto Rican immigrants and the Sharks.
- Dialogue in passing mentions that the Jets have fought other gangs like the Egyptian Kings and the Emeralds, suggesting Riff's bigotry is directed not just towards the Puerto Ricans.
- Psychopathic Manchild: Mike Faist's portrayal is especially unhinged and immature.
- Sacrificial Lion: He dies during the duel with Bernardo.
- Take Me Instead: Despite his bigotry and his flaws, when it becomes clear that Tony won't defend himself against Bernardo, Riff offers himself as a more worthy opponent.
- Take Up My Sword: In most versions, the last thing he does before he dies is pass his switchblade to Tony, while in the 2021 film, he tells him to pull it out of his chest.
- Toxic Friend Influence: He has this trait in every version of the story, though it's amplified in the 2021 film. While Tony is happy to have moved on from the Jets, Riff keeps trying to bring him back in. In Spielberg's version, he even employs some emotional manipulation on Tony for thinking he's done.
- White Shirt of Death: Wears a white t-shirt to the rumble where he is killed.
Ice/Diesel
Ice/Diesel
Ice, 1961 film
Portrayed by: Hank Brunjes (1957 Broadway), Tucker Smith (1961 film), Joshua Buscher (2009 Broadway), Ahmad Simmons (2020 Broadway), Kyle Coffman (Ice) and Kevin Csolak (Deisel) (2021 film)
Second-in-command of the Jets. Ice was a character created for the movie, but has been adopted in later stage productions. Takes over as leader later in the 1961 film and in some productions .
- Ascended Extra: Has a few lines in the stage show and a decent amount of stage-time, but he's a lot more prominent in the movie, to the point where he has what is effectively his own solo.
- The Big Guy: He's the tallest of the Jets and their go-to guy for a fist fight.
- The Brute: Diesel in the stage musical and the 2021 film. Ice, by contrast, is the Only Sane Man.
- Canon Immigrant: Originally was in the movie, but was popular enough to add in later theatre productions. Ice was also added to the 2021 film, along with Diesel.
- Decomposite Character: The character was named Diesel in the stage version, and was renamed Ice in the 1961 film. They are also mentioned as separate characters in Irving Shulman's novelization, despite Shulman's version of Ice essentially being a Demoted to Extra Flat Character. They also appear as two separate characters in the 2021 film.
- Dumb Muscle: Diesel is specifically mentioned as such in Irving Shulman's novelization, and as such is ruled out as a candidate to lead the Jets after Riff's death. He is decidedly not this in the 2021 film.
- Icy Blue Eyes: Ice sports these in the movie, and they are likely the origin of his nickname.
- The Lancer: To Riff after Tony left the gang.
- Meaningful Name: Both names for the character.
- Ice probably the most level-headed of the group.
- Diesel is one of the largest and well-built Jets.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Their real names aren't revealed in the stage version or either film adaptation. Though according to Kyle Coffman in the 2021 film ice’s real name is Isidor.
- Only Sane Man: Following the rumble, his first action as new leader is to get the Jets calmed down instead of looking for revenge or trouble, knowing that the cops are going to be on their butts very soon. He also focuses more on finding Tony before the cops or the Sharks do than on finishing things with the Sharks.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: When news of Chino's plan to kill Tony reaches the Jets, he has the group split up in search of Tony and get him to safety instead of getting back at the Sharks. He also shows respect to Anybodys and listens to the information she has to offer instead of blowing her off like Riff and the other Jets would.
- The Smart Guy: Tony Kushner's script describes Ice as smart and a natural leader. At the rumble, he explains to the Sharks what the giant mounds of salt are for.
- Token Good Teammate: Was not among the Jets who try Attempted Rape on Anita, though that could simply be because he wasn't there at the time (he'd gone to make sure none of the Sharks were on the prowl for Tony). That was probably a move on the director's part for Ice not to be present for the rape scene, as he had just sang about being 'Cool', and he probably wouldn't have condoned it. Averted however in the 2021 film where unfortunately he does join in on the attempted rape by locking the doors so the jet girls can’t save Anita and she can’t escape.
Action
Action
1961 film
Portrayed by: Eddie Roll (1957 Broadway), Tony Mordente (1961 film), Curtis Holbrook (2009 Broadway), Elijah A. Carter (2020 Broadway), Sean Harrison Jones (2021 film)
The most quick-tempered member of the Jets, always ready for a fight. Takes over the jets after the rumble in the play .
- Blood Knight: "In, out, let's get crackin'!"
- Cowardly Lion: Much as he likes to get into fights, he's the first to run in the opening number when he finds himself ganged up on by Sharks, and he's the first member of either gang to run from the fight where Riff and Bernardo are killed after giving one last kick to his opponent who is already down.
- Dude, Where's My Reward?: When Riff decides that Tony is to be his lieutenant for the war council, as opposed to Action. Especially since Tony is rarely with the gang anymore.
- Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: He might be a raring gang member, but he's furious when Shrank taunts him about his mother being a prostitute.
- Give Me a Sword: Hands a knife to Riff during the knife fight with Bernardo.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: Much to Riff and Ice's frustration, he's very quick-tempered and tends to act rashly without them to rein him in. The 1961 film shows him being directly responsible for the conflict between the Jets and the Sharks escalating into violence in the first place.
- Jerkass: Action is by far one of the most belligerent and angry of the Jets, and one of the hardest to get along with.
- Jerkass Has a Point: When Doc accuses the Jets of being responsible for the Crapsack World they live in, Action tells him that the world was already like this when they came into it.
- The Lancer: To Riff, especially in the stage show.
- The Napoleon: In the 1961 film version, he is the shortest of the Jets as well as the most aggressive.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: His real name isn't revealed in the stage version or either film adaptation.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Is uncharacteristically somber and respectful when Tony dies, and is the first to lead the Jets (and ultimately the Sharks) in carrying his body out of the playground.
- Revenge Before Reason: After the rumble, he's determined to get back at the Sharks for Riff's death, even as Ice wants the gang at first to keep a low profile to avoid the cops and then find Tony and get him to safety before Chino kills him.
- Parental Issues: His mother is a prostitute.
- The Starscream: Can be seen as such in the stage musical and 1961 film; decidedly not one in the 2021 film.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: He begins the Attempted Rape that causes Anita to deliberately mix up the message, leading directly to Tony's demise.
A-Rab
A-Rab
Portrayed by: Tony Mordente (1957 Broadway), David Winters (1961 film), Kyle Coffman (2009 Broadway), Kevin Csolak (2020 Broadway), Jess LeProtto (2021 film)
Slightly less quick-tempered than Action. Baby John's best friend.
- Big Brother Instinct: He's very protective of Baby John and even gets into a scuffle with Action when the latter gives him a hard time for not wanting to immediately confront the Sharks after the rumble.
- Jerkass: Deserves special mention as he is the most outwardly antagonistic of the gang to Anybodys in every version.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: His real name isn't revealed in the stage version or either film adaptation. Though according to his actor in the 2021 film his real name is Gabriel .
- Meaningful Name: His nickname is a takeoff on "Arab," as in "street Arab."
- Parental Issues: Schrank taunts him by mentioning that his father is an alcoholic.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Baby John. He picks on him as much as the rest of the gang, however, he's also very protective of him and shares a moment of vulnerability with him as both of them are horrified by Riff and Bernardo's deaths during the rumble.
Snowboy
Snowboy
Portrayed by: Grover Dale (1957 Broadway), Bert Michaels (1961 film), Mike Cannon (2009 Broadway), Daniel Ching (2020 Broadway), Myles Erlick (2021 film)
The Jet who, in the stage version (though not in either of the films), plays the role of Krupke in the song "Gee Officer Krupke."
- Only Known by Their Nickname: His real name isn't revealed in the stage version or either film adaptation.
Joyboy
Portrayed by: Robert Banas (1961 film)
- Adapted Out: He doesn't appear in the 2021 film.
- Flat Character: He's a background Jet with little characterization.
- The Generic Guy: He has no distinguishing characteristics.
Big Deal
Big Deal
Portrayed by: Martin Charnin (1957 Broadway), Anthony "Scooter" Teague (1961 film), Eric Hatch (2009 Broadway), Tyler Eisenreich (2020 Broadway), John Michael Fiumara (2021 film).
- Abled in the Adaptation: He doesn't have glasses in the 1961 or 2021 films, while he does in the stage musical.
- The Generic Guy: Described in Tony Kushner's screenplay for the 2021 film as "a little dull, but dependable."
- Nerd Glasses: Many productions describe him as bespectacled. This is is not the case in the 1961 film, where none of the gang members on either side wear glasses.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: His real name isn't revealed in the stage version or either film adaptation.
Tiger
Tiger
Portrayed by: David Bean (1961 film), Corey John Snide (2020 Broadway), Julian Elia (2021 film)
- Ascended Extra:
- The 1961 film gives him a larger presence and more lines compared to the stage show, where he's just an ensemble member. For example, he pretends to be Krupke for "Gee, Officer Krupke" (which Snowboy does in the stage version), and restrains Tony during Riff's duel with Bernardo.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: His real name isn't revealed in the stage version or either film adaptation.
Mouthpiece
Mouthpiece
Portrayed by: Frank Green (1957 Broadway), Harvey Evans/Hohnecker (1961 film), Adolfo Menas Ceja (2020 Broadway), Ben Cook (2021 film)
- Only Known by Their Nickname: His real name isn't revealed in the stage version or either film adaptation.
Gee-Tar
Gee-Tar
Portrayed by: Tommy Abbott (1961 film)
- Adapted Out: In the 2021 film.
- Flat Character: Has pretty much no character traits to speak of.
- The Generic Guy: He's a background Jet.
Baby John
Baby John
1961 film
Portrayed by: David Winters (1957 Broadway), Eliot Feld (1961 film), Ryan Steele (2009 Broadway), Matthew Johnson (2020 Broadway), Patrick Higgins (2021 film)
The youngest Jet, who is beaten up during the opening sequence. A-Rab's best friend.
- Attempted Rape: The Jets' assault on Anita culminates with them picking up Baby John and trying to force him on her. Most productions make him just as traumatized by this as Anita.
- The Baby of the Bunch: His nickname stems from him being the youngest member of the gang and the others frequently tease him for his naivety.
- Butt-Monkey: Given that he's the youngest of the Jets, no one gives him any sort of respect, including the Sharks, the police, and even some of the members of his own gang.
- Comforting Comforter: At the end, he places the grieving Maria's dropped shawl back around her shoulders while the other boys are carrying Tony's body.
- Ear Ache: He gets a cut on his ear during the brawl in the prologue. In the 2021 film, he has a nail driven through his earlobe.
- Oh, Crap!: He gets cornered by the Sharks at the end of the prologue, calling for the Jets to save him.
- Only One Name: He's the only member of the Jets, apart from Riff, who has an actual name, with "Baby" being added due to his young age.
- Tender Tears: In the film, in his first reappearance after the deaths of Riff and Bernardo.
- Token Good Teammate: As the most naive and inexperienced of the gang, it's obvious he goes along with what they do mostly because he succumbs to peer pressure.
Anybodys
Anybodys
1961 film
Portrayed by: Lee Becker (1957 Broadway), Susan Oakes (1961 film), Tro Shaw (2009 Broadway), Zuri Noelle Ford (2020 Broadway), iris menas (2021 film)
A tagalong tomboy, eventually accepted into the gang after Riff's death. According to the stage directions, she falls in love with Action, though some modern productions play her as a butch lesbian or even a trans boy instead.
- Adaptational Gender Identity: Some productions, including the 2021 film, have portrayed Anybodys as transgender or non-binary.
- Ambiguously Gay: In productions in which Anybodys is depicted as a cis woman, she may be hinted to be a lesbian.
- Bifauxnen: Depending on the production and how much she's made-up, she can actually pass for an attractive young man.
- Boyish Short Hair: In the film adaptations and most stage productions. Anybodys is a boyish young woman who is usually depicted as having short-cropped hair, in contrast to the other women who wear their hair long.
- Chekhov's Skill: Being physically a small, petite person and psychologically unworthy of attention from either gang means they're able to hang around Sharks territory in the shadows where no one sees them. This allows them to overhear Chino talking about wanting to kill Tony and to later find Tony to warn him.
- Deconstructed Character Archetype: Of the scrappy tomboyish type character. Anybodys's entire character revolves around wanting to be one of the boys, and she seems eager to challenge them to fights and argue with them, and eventually it seems like she's starting to get accepted... Then in the 1961 film and most productions, the Jets try to rape Anita, and Anybodys, while looking disturbed, simply stands by as another woman is almost assaulted. This throws a wrench in her being seen as any kind of proto-feminist character. Some productions make it better by having her try to stop them and finally be the one to go get Doc, though.
- Informed Ability: Anybodys claims to be able to fight as well as any of the Jets, but this isn't actually seen in the stage version or the 1961 film.
- The Lad-ette: Dresses and acts like one of the boys.
- Limited Wardrobe: The only outfit Anybodys wears during the 1961 film is a light blue long-sleeve t-shirt with yellow sleeves and a pair of blue jeans, even during the dance scene where everybody else dresses up.
- One of the Boys: She tries her best to be one, but none of the Jets really want her around. It isn't until she actually helps them find Tony that they treat her as one of them.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Anybodys's real name isn't mentioned in the stage version or either film adaptation.
The Girls
Graziella
Graziella
Portrayed by: Wilma Curley (1957 Broadway), Gina Trikonis (1961 film), Pamela Otterson (2009 Broadway), Alexa DeBurr (2020 Broadway), Paloma Garcia-Lee (2021 film)
Riff's girlfriend. She is Ice / Diesel's girlfriend in some productions.
- Adaptation Expansion: In the 2021 film, she used to date Tony.
- Break the Cutie: She's understandably heartbroken after Riff is killed.
- Hidden Depths: While she might be a bit dim and mostly eye candy, she clearly loves Riff, breaking down after his death and exclaiming, "Riff! I want Riff!"
- I Take Offense to That Last One: She gets pissed off after one of the Jets calls her a Velma a pair of "dumb broads", proclaiming, "I and Velma ain't dumb!" But apparently being a broad is alright.
- Minor Character, Major Song: Played with, her only real role is being Riff's girlfriend, and she has no solos to speak of, but she's heavily featured as a spotlight dancer alongside Riff in the "Mambo" scene, and later the principal female dancer in "Cool".
Velma
Portrayed by: Carole D'Andrea (1957 Broadway and 1961 film), Madison Vomastek (2020 Broadway), Maddie Ziegler (2021 film)
Ice's girlfriend, and Graziella's best friend. She is Riff's girlfriend in some productions.
- Dumb Blonde: Usually depicted as blonde and vapid.
Minnie/Tessa
Portrayed by: Nanette Rosen (1957 Broadway, Pat Tribble (1961 film), Ui-Seng Francois (2020 Broadway), Talia Ryder (2021 film)
Baby John's girlfriend.
- Chastity Couple: In comparison to the more sexual dancing at the gym in the film the gang members are doing with their girlfriends, Baby John and Minnie seem to be having a grand old time simply skipping around the dance floor together. Riff gets embarrassed by them and smacks Baby John to get him to dance with Minnie in a little more heated fashion.
The Sharks
In General
The Sharks
1961 film
Riff: Who jumped Baby John this afternoon?
Bernardo: Who jumped me the first day I moved here?
Action: Who asked you to move here?
A gang of Puerto Ricans in New York City's Upper West Side. They fill the role of the Capulets.
- Animal Motif: Like their namesake, the Sharks are cunning, vicious, and attack in packs.
- Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: Most productions and the 1961 film have them wearing red and purple, while the 2021 film has them wearing red and yellow.
- Defensive Feint Trap: A favorite tactic of theirs in the 1961 film. In the prologue, the Jets are shown chasing a single Shark into an area, only to get overwhelmed when the Sharks are revealed with greater numbers. Pepe lures the Jets into a construction site, but when the Jets arrive at the ridge, the Sharks are standing at the bottom ready to throw fruits and vegetables at them.
- Flat Character: Most of the Sharks get little characterization and focus, apart from Bernardo, Maria, Anita, and Chino. Tony Kushner's script includes descriptions of them to help flesh them out, but even then, most of them are described in groups rather than individually.
- He Who Fights Monsters: Bernardo created the Sharks to oppose the Jets' bigotry, but by the time the story begins, they have become virtually indistinguishable from their rivals. Each side is concerned only with vengeance on them for whatever the other's last act of vengeance on them was. In the "Tonight Quintet," each side sings the line "They began it." They also sing the exact same music on that line, suggesting that the genesis of each gang's hatred is basically identical.
- Hot-Blooded: Tony Kushner's script describes Chago, Manolo, Sebas, and Aníbal as street-wise Nuyoricans who are used to fighting.
- Hypocrite:
- The Sharks look down on the Jets for being juvenile delinquents, while they themselves have jobs. However, a few of them are actually teens who play hooky so that they can fight all the time.
- In the 2021 film, they cite the Jets stealing from their neighbors' stores as one of their justifications for fighting them. Meanwhile, Aníbal is shown hijacking melons from a local produce truck to use as weapons against A-Rab, Big Deal, and Diesel as they chase after him.
- Latino Is Brown: The ethnic make-up of the Sharks can vary based on the stage production. The 1961 film plays this straight to the hilt, with the Sharks being played by white actors in Brownface. Even Rita Moreno, who actually is Puerto Rican, had her skin darkened, while Natalie Wood spent a lot of time in tanning booths.
- Moral Myopia: They resent the Jets for their xenophobia and harassment and their solution is to be xenophobic and harass them themselves.
- Mirror Character: Most of the Sharks are equivalent versions of the Jets, especially in the 2021 film. Braulio is the second-in-command, like Ice. Quique is The Big Guy, like Diesel. Chago is Hot-Blooded and eager to fight, much like Action.
- "Not So Different" Remark: María tells the gang in her "The Reason You Suck" Speech that they're just as responsible as the Jets for Riff, Bernardo, and Tony's deaths.
- Only One Name: In contrast to the Jets, the Sharks have actual given names.
- Patriotic Fervor: The Sharks are deeply patriotic for their native Puerto Rico, with some, like Bernardo, expressing a desire to return. In the 2021 film, Bernardo leads the Sharks in singing "La Borinqueña," Puerto Rico's national anthem.
- Purple Is Powerful: In the 1961 film, purple is a prominent color for the Sharks.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Red to the Jets' blue. Paul Tazewell, the costume designer for the 2021 film, emphasized this by dressing the Sharks in passionate red and yellow colors.
The Boys
Bernardo
Bernardo
1961 film
Portrayed by: Ken LeRoy (1957 Broadway, 1958 West End), George Chakiris (1961 film), Geroge Akram (2009 Broadway), Amar Ramasar (2020 Broadway), David Alvarez (2021 film)
"Look, every one of you hates every one of us and we hate you right back! Let's get at it!"
Maria's brother, leader of the Sharks. He is an analogue of both Tybalt, Juliet's hotheaded cousin, and Lord Capulet, as the leader of one of the Feuding Families who tries to marry her off to a suitor.
- Accidental Murder: During the rumble, Riff runs into his knife, killing him. He is usually portrayed as being horrified at this.
- Ascended Extra: Already one of the main characters in the original stage show, but his singing is alongside the ensemble rather than getting any solo numbers. The 1961 movie has him as the second most prominent soloist in "America". The 2020 Broadway revival and 2021 film did this as well.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Anita, their bickering and sensuality contrasts with Tony and Maria's innocent Romeo and Juliet-style romance.
- Berserk Button: Tony dating Maria is this for him, along with being called a "spic."
- Control Freak: He tries to keep Maria under his thumb, ostensibly for her protection.
- Deadpan Snarker: He frequently lets off a number of sarcastic remarks.
- In the 1961 film, after Lt. Schrank scolds the gangs, Bernardo asks him to repeat what he just said into Spanish. Even this elicits a laugh from the Jets.
- Just before "America" in the 1961 film, when Anita says they had nothing in Puerto Rico, he replies that in New York, they still have nothing, "only more expensive."
- In the 2021 film, when Ice explains they need to "set up" the rumble, Bernardo asks if it's like a date.
- Death by Racism: The last thing he says before the knife fight with Riff and his subsequent death is a racial slur towards Polish people.
- Fatal Flaw: His Moral Myopia. While Bernardo understandably resents the racist attitudes and treatment by the Jets and the authorities, he allows his hatred to cloud his judgment and engages in much of the same behavior as them. Ultimately, his refusal to accept Tony's attempts to make amends and let go of his hatred leads to the knife fight with Riff and his death at Tony's hands.
- Hypocrite:
- Resents the Jets and the authorities' racist attitude, but isn't the most inclusive sort either, as shown when he arranges Maria's marriage and his own intolerant behavior towards Tony.
Bernardo: [Maria was dancing] with an American. Who is really a Polack.Anita: Says the Spic.- Anita points out that Maria does have a mother and father who can parent her rather than Bernardo trying to do it all himself. He brushes off her concern by saying they don't know anything more about America than Maria does and Anita tells him neither does he, outside from the few square blocks of the city they inhabit.
- Jerkass Has a Point: In the film versions, he's the second soloist in "America." While Anita sings about the virtues of living in America, Bernardo sings about the flaws, especially the racism that the Puerto Rican community faces every day.
- Knight Templar Big Brother: He's fiercely protective over Maria, to the point he has her confined to her apartment and job.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Bernardo teasing Tony instead of backing down when Tony said he didn't want to fight him, ultimately leads to Tony murdering Bernardo in revenge after Riff gets (accidentally) stabbed by Bernardo while stepping in on Tony's behalf.
- My God, What Have I Done?: After stabbing Riff during the rumble, Bernardo is left stunned in horror. Not that he lives long enough for any guilt to set in.
- My Sister Is Off-Limits: Taken to extremes when it comes to Tony.
- Named by the Adaptation: No surname in the original stage show. In Irving Shulman's novelization, his and Maria's surname is Nunez.
- Parental Substitute: While their parents live with them in the stage version and 1961 film, Bernardo has a more direct influence over Maria, even directly telling her what she can and can't do. The 2021 film implies their parents are dead, allowing Bernardo to fully take over this role. He even calls their apartment "his house."
- Patriotic Fervor: Bernardo is a proud Puerto Rican and even floats the idea of moving back to the country due to his growing cynicism of America. However, Anita accuses him of having Nostalgia Filter for the country and continually reminds him that they came to America because they had nothing when they lived there.
- Straw Misogynist: He has this trait in all three versions, though it's much more prominent in the 2021 film. He prefers to keep Maria under his thumb, forbidding her from pursuing her own dreams like getting a college education or finding her own love. He also wants Anita to give up on her dream of owning a dress shop and instead move back to Puerto Rico where she can start making babies for him. There's also the fact he considers the apartment the three of them live in "his house", even though both Anita and Maria help pay the rent.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: What he describes himself as when he first came to America. He's long since become more cynical by the time the audience meets him.
Chino
Chino
1961 film
Portrayed by: Jamie Sanchez (1957 Broadway), Jose De Vega (1961 film), Joey Haro (2009 Broadway), Jacob Guzman (2020 Broadway), Josh Andrés Rivera (2021 film)
Maria's unassuming but secretly hot-tempered suitor, Bernardo's best friend. He's the story's version of Paris, Lord Capulet's intended betrothed for Maria.
- Bearer of Bad News: He goes to tell Maria what happened at the rumble. Unfortunately, when the only thing she asks is if Tony is okay, he snaps and shouts that Tony killed Bernardo.
- Beware the Nice Ones: The script's stage directions describe him as "a gentle, sweet-faced boy," but after Tony kills Bernardo and after Chino realizes that Maria is in love with Tony, he goes on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge with lethal results.
- Expy: Of Paris, as Maria's intended who does not take her dalliance with Tony (the Romeo analogue) well.
- Named by the Adaptation: He gets the surname Martin in Irving Shulman's novelization of the musical.
- Non-Action Guy: Implied Trope. When he goes to see Maria after the rumble, she asks if he's been fighting, which is unlike him.
- Real Men Wear Pink: Wears a pink shirt to the dance.
- Sanity Slippage: He's clearly shell-shocked after the rumble and witnessing Bernardo's death. When Maria innocently asks if Tony is okay, he snaps and becomes determined to kill him, to both avenge Bernardo and to eliminate a romantic rival (the latter at least in the stage version and 1961 film).
- Spared by the Adaptation: Chino's counterpart in the original Romeo and Juliet is killed by Romeo before Romeo's suicide. Here, Chino is arrested after killing Tony.
- Thousand-Yard Stare: He has one after the rumble in all versions of the story, which is why Maria immediately knows something terrible has happened.
- White Collar Worker: He is this in each version. In the 1961 film, he works as an assistant, and Bernardo points out that Chino makes half of what Tony does as a delivery boy for Doc, because he's Puerto Rican. In the 2021 film, Maria refers to him as a "drone" to Anita.
Pepe
Pepe
Portrayed by: Jay Norman (1961 film)
Second-in-command of the Sharks. Indio
Indio
Portrayed by: Noel Schwartz (1957 Broadway), Gus Trikonis (1961 film), Manuel Santos (2009 Broadway), Ricky Ubeda (2020 Broadway)
- Mandatory Line: Literally speaks one word in the entire stage show.
The Girls
Anita
Anita
1961 film
Portrayed by: Chita Rivera (1957 Broadway, 1958 West End), Rita Moreno (1961 film), Karen Olivo (2009 Broadway), Yesenia Ayala (2020 Broadway), Ariana DeBose (2021 film)
Singing voice: Betty Wand (1961 film, for "A Boy Like That")
"♫ I like the island Manhattan.
Smoke on your pipe and put that in! ♫"
The saucy friend of Maria and girlfriend of Bernardo. She is analogous to the Nurse, Juliet's wordlier caretaker and confidant, as well as of Lady Capulet as the partner to Bernardo (Lord Capulet's analogue).
- Age Lift: Inverted: while Juliet's Nurse is an adult caregiver, Anita is a teenage friend only slightly older than Maria and dating her brother.
- Attempted Rape: She suffers this at the Jets's hands while trying to take a message from Maria to Tony, leading to her lying in anger that Maria is dead instead.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Bernardo, their bickering and sensuality contrasting with Tony and Maria's innocent Romeo and Juliet-style romance.
- Beta Couple: She and Bernardo have been in a loving relationship for some time prior to the start of the story and are affectionate all throughout.
- Break the Cutie: In just one night her boyfriend is killed and she herself is almost raped.
- Condescending Compassion: While she lends a sympathetic ear to Maria and listens to her concerns about Bernardo's treatment and being set up with Chino, Anita clearly expects her to accept the situation anyway and advises her to look at the positives instead of moping.
- Deadpan Snarker: Especially around Bernardo and to a lesser extent Maria. She's the only one who can get away with calling her boyfriend a Spic without him flying into a blind rage, instead with him only proclaiming "You are not so cute."
- Hypocrite: In "A Boy Like That", Anita berates Maria for loving Tony, as "A boy who kills cannot love, a boy that kills has no heart", which is quite rich considering that Bernardo killed Riff.
- Immigrant Patriotism: Unlike Bernardo and the rest of the Sharks, who face racism from the Jets and other white Americans on a daily basis, Anita is completely enamored by the opportunities that await her in New York.
- Named by the Adaptation: She gets the surname Palacio in Irving Shulman's novelization of the musical.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Maria convinces her to go to Doc's and tell Tony that she'll be late, as Lieutenant Schrank is questioning her about Bernardo's death and Chino's intent to kill Tony. Unfortunately, by the time Anita arrives, the Jets are already holed up there, and they decide to take their frustrations out on her in the worst way imaginable.
- Overly Long Name: Bernardo teases her by calling her by her full name "Anita Josefina Maria Teresa etcetera etcetera," while she reminds him that it's just "Anita" now.
- Poor Communication Kills: Invoked. After getting assaulted by the Jets, she lies and says that Chino killed Maria. When Tony learns this from Doc, he becomes so distraught that he runs onto the street begging for Chino to kill him, and he's shot moments after seeing Maria alive.
- Spicy Latina: One of the Trope Codifiers for the type seen starting in pop culture in the 50's.
- What the Hell, Hero?: To Maria, in "A Boy Like That", when she sees that Maria has both Easily Forgiven and slept with Tony after Bernardo's murder. Maria's rebuttal "I Have a Love" brings her around to her side, but it doesn't last.
Rosalia
Rosalia
Portrayed by: Marilyn Cooper (1957 Broadway), Suzie Kaye (1961 film), Jennifer Sánchez (2009 Broadway), Lorna Courtney (2020 Broadway) Ana Isabelle (2021 film)
Argues with Anita in "America"; Indio's girlfriend.
- Demoted to Extra: An otherwise the minor role in the stage show, she serves as the soloist countering Anita in "America". The film's reworked version of the number (actually how it was first written) has Bernardo in this role with the other Sharks backing him up. The 2020 revival and 2021 film did the same.
Consuela
Consuela
Portrayed by: Reri Grist (1957 Broadway), Yvonne Wilder (1961 film), Danielle Polanco (2009 Broadway), Gabi Campo (2020 Broadway)
Pepe's girlfriend.
- Demoted to Extra: Certainly far from a major role in the stage show, she sings the solo in "Somewhere". The 1961 film omits the song's ballet sequence and makes the whole thing a duet between Tony and Maria.
- Dumb Blonde: In the stage version she has her hair dyed blonde, but she resolves to go back to brunette because Pepe allegedly visited a fortune teller who told him a "dark lady" would come into his life.
Adults
Doc's Chemists
Doc
Doc
1961 film
Portrayed by: Art Smith (1957 Broadway), David Bauer (1958 West End), Ned Glass (1961 film), Greg Vinkler (2009 Broadway), Daniel Oreskes (2020 Broadway)
"Why do you live like there's a war on?? What do you kill?"
A weary old Jewish candy store owner and often the voice of reason regarding the feuds between the Jets and Sharks. He is most analogous to Friar Laurence, the priest who supports Romeo and Juliet's romance. He also takes some of Balthazar's role.
- Adapted Out: In the 2021 film, he died before the start of the plot, and is replaced by his widow, Valentina.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Usually is the kind-hearted and concerned voice of reason, and has a aversion to physical violence. After witnessing the Jets nearly rape Anita, he kicks the Jets out in a quiet voice of pure hatred. When Doc gives Tony some getaway money a moment later, Tony is only thinking about himself and his future with Maria. This is enough to provoke Doc to snap, and furiously smack Tony across the face.
- Intergenerational Friendship: With Tony. Tony works for him, but it's also clear that they're buddies.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: "Doc" is his nickname, and his real name isn't mentioned in the stage version or either film adaptation, as Valentina's married name is never revealed in the 2021 film.
- Only Sane Man: The only person who conducts himself in a completely and totally rational way throughout the story.
- Truce Zone: Doc's is a favorite hangout of both gangs, and thus is considered neutral ground.
- What the Hell, Hero?: He slaps Tony out of frustration for all the destruction the gang war has brought on the neighborhood.
NYPD
Schrank
Detective Lieutenant Schrank
1961 film
Portrayed by: Arch Johnson (1957 Broadway), Ted Gunther (1958 West End), Simon Oakland (1961 film), Steve Bassett (2009 Broadway), Thomas Jay Ryan (2020 Broadway), Corey Stoll (2021 film)
A racist police lieutenant of the 21st Precinct. As the highest authority in the show, he's most analogous to Prince Escalus. However, unlike Escalus, who was a responsible authority figure despite having a part in the tragedy, Schrank is significantly more demeaning and unpleasant.
- Bad Cop/Incompetent Cop: The Bad Cop to Krupke's Incompetent Cop.
- Bigot with a Badge: He's openly racist towards the Sharks and classist towards the Jets.
- Boomerang Bigot: A white cop who disdains the Caucasian Jets nearly as much as the Latino Sharks, referring to the former as "tin-horn immigrant scum." Given his last name and chosen profession, it's just as likely that he himself is descended from immigrants. Possibly an aversion, given that the story takes place in a time where most Poles
were still facing discrimination. - Dirty Cop: More than willing to deliver a beating to the gang members if they don't stop their fighting.
- Enemy Mine: If there’s anything the Jets and Sharks can agree to do, it’s to make fun of Schrank. He himself tries—and fails—to invoke this with the Jets against the Sharks, albeit only to get the location of their rumble so he can arrest both gangs at once.
- Everyone Has Standards: He mobilizes the police to stop the rumble because he is disgusted by the idea of the morning papers with headlines about dead kids.
- Hypocrite: Bigoted towards the Sharks and the Jets given their immigrant status when he's undoubtedly the descendant of immigrants himself. However, unlike the Jets, he was able to climb his way up and become a high-ranking police officer.
- It's All About Me: His concern about the fight between the Jets and the Sharks is only about how it'll affect his chance for promotion. In the 1961 film, he tells the Jets that if they don't knock it off, he'll get busted down to a traffic corner.
- Jerkass: He's unpleasant to talk to at the very least. It would be one thing if he was just doing his job, but the fact that he's a huge racist cements him as this trope.
- Jerkass Has a Point: As much as he's a corrupt racist who really only cares about his career, the fact remains that the Jets and Sharks are hoodlums who regularly break the law and the gang conflict negatively impacts the neighborhood and the other people who live in it.
- His response towards Doc's disdain of him indicates that years of dealing with gangs have left him jaded and cynical, a sentiment that anyone, particularly those in "do-gooder" professions (medicine, law, education, etc.) can empathize with. By the end, Doc almost completely agrees with Schrank's point.
- Lack of Empathy: He's a complete and inconsiderate dick when questioning Anita and Maria, even though they have lost a lover and a brother respectively.
- Police Are Useless: He mobilizes his precinct to stop the rumble, but fails to get there in time. This results in the deaths of Riff, Bernardo, and ultimately Tony.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Displays racism towards the Sharks. And the Jets too, referring to their families as "tin-horn immigrant scum".
Krupke
Police Sergeant Krupke
1961 film
Portrayed by: William Bramley (1957 Broadway, 1961 film), Hal Galili (1958 West End), Lee Sellars (2009 Broadway), Danny Wolohan (2020 Broadway), Brian D Arcy James (2021 film)
An aggressive but inept cop. As Schrank's subordinate, he fills the role of Escalus's watchmen.
- Bad Cop/Incompetent Cop: The Incompetent Cop to Schrank's Bad Cop.
- Butt-Monkey: Unlike Lt. Schrank, who both gangs are wary of pushing too far, Krupke is considered a joke by all of them and gleefully taunt him.
- Carry a Big Stick: He's mainly seen carrying a billy club.
- Jerkass: Not as bad as Schrank, and he is doing his job, but he's still a dick.
- Police Are Useless: No matter how hard he tries, he can't put a stop to the fighting between the Jets and the Sharks. Downplayed in both film versions, as he's able to realize what the Jets and Sharks are planning and tries to stop it.
- In the 1961 film, he's nearby as Riff and Bernardo make a show of pretending to be friendly. Later, he tells the Jets that he knows they were planning something at the dance, which is why Schrank arrives later at the war council.
- In the 2021 film, Graziella berates Riff for trying to challenge Bernardo at the dance, and Krupke overhears the word "challenge," which gets the police to start investigating the gangs' plans for the following night.
- Reasonable Authority Figure:
- By all means, he has the authority to arrest all the kids for their constant brawling especially with how the neighborhood fears both gangs. Instead, he gives them verbal warnings and a lot of second chances up to the point that murder happens. Sure he's a bit racist, but he's quite lenient and even arrests Chino quietly rather than make a big display of it.
- Villainy-Free Villain: Sure, Krupke is a dick, but he's just doing his job, and unlike Schrank, we never see anything to indicate he's corrupt. Though in the 2021 film, Kushner's script humanizes him as a person while also portraying him as a perpetrator of the system.
Other
Glad Hand
Murray "Glad Hand" Benowitz
1961 film
Portrayed by: John Harkins (1957 Broadway), John Astin (1961 film), Michael Mastro (2009 Broadway), Pippa Pearthree (2020 Broadway revival), Mike Iveson (2021 film)
The inept chaperone at the dance.
- Butt-Monkey: Nothing goes how he wants it to at the dance.Glad Hand: Tonight is a social experiment, boys and girls, brotherhood and all that, and you're the guinea pigs.(The Jets and their girls begin oinking at him)Glad Hand: (exasperated) Thank you, right on cue.
- Misplaced Kindergarten Teacher: He has this trait in the stage version and 1961 film, as he talks to the gangs as though they're middle schoolers at their first social event.
- Gender Flip: Portrayed as a woman in the 2020 Broadway revival.
- Named by the Adaptation: In Irving Shulman's novelization of the musical, his real name is Murray Benowitz.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: "Glad Hand" is his nickname, and his real name isn't mentioned in the stage version or either film adaption.
- Small Role, Big Impact: He hosts a "get together" dance for the Jets and the Sharks, which ultimately results in Tony and Maria meeting.
- Truce Zone: The gym, where he holds sway (or attempts to), is considered neutral ground for both gangs, as their girls are brought to the dance as well.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: He actually tries to get the gangs (and their girls) to interact. This goes down poorly.
