Step 1. Select the Item

Choose a set piece, costume or prop you want to help support.

As a thank you, we give you some special gifts and perks for being so generous.

GIFT Item Number: 400

Main Set Piece for West Side Story

Designed by Canada’s renowned set designer Brian Ball, this 16-foot-tall stage set will occupy the entire Granville Island Stage, creating an immersive and striking backdrop for West Side Story. This set is built using wood structures and metal, showcasing urban architecture with realistic details such as fire escapes, brick facades, and intricate balcony designs. The set perfectly captures the tension and vibrancy of New York City’s streets, transitioning seamlessly into indoor scenes to support the narrative flow. To ensure the set piece is constructed as envisioned and to provide the best experience for performers and audience members—we are seeking donations to help bring this design to life. Your support will directly contribute to creating an unforgettable production, honouring both the artistry and storytelling of West Side Story.

Interested in contributing towards this set piece?

Gift Item Number: 401

Anita’s Costume

As one of the most memorable costume pieces in West Side Story, Anita’s costume reflects her fiery spirit and cultural identity. Worn during the iconic gym dance scene, this bold dress in rich red and orange tones symbolizes her strength and independence while capturing her passion and pride, making her a standout character on stage.Your contribution allows our costume design team to tailor this dress for our actor and craft it, bringing this vibrant piece to life. 

Gift Item Number: 402

Velma’s Costume

Velma’s costume is a striking representation of her boldness and flair as a member of the Jets. Worn during the high-energy gym dance scene, this dress features cool tones like icy blues and silvery grey, with sharp, tailored lines that highlight her confidence and sharp personality. Your gift helps our costume team customize this piece to perfectly fit our actor, bringing Velma’s vibrant character to life on stage. 

Gift Item Number: 403

Maria’s Costume

Maria’s costume beautifully reflects her innocence and romantic spirit in West Side Story. Worn during the gym dance scene, her dress features soft white or blush pink tones, flowing fabrics, and gentle lines that highlight her purity and hope. It connects to her Puerto Rican heritage and symbolizes her journey through love and conflict. Your gift allows our costume team to handcraft and tailor this piece, ensuring it perfectly brings Maria’s character to life on stage.

Interested in contributing towards these costume pieces?

Gift Item Number: 404

Shark Girls’ Costumes

The Shark girls’ costumes are a vivid celebration of their fiery spirit and cultural pride. Designed for the electrifying dance sequences, these dresses burst with bold, tropical colours like vibrant reds, oranges, and deep purples, with swirling patterns that evoke the warmth and rhythm of Puerto Rico. The flowing skirts and fitted bodices accentuate their energy and confidence while showcasing their unity as a group. Each costume reflects the individuality of the Shark girls, celebrating their resilience and passion. Your gift supports our costume team in crafting these outfits, bringing the Shark girls’ dynamic presence to life on stage.

Interested in contributing towards these costume pieces?

Gift Item Number: 405

Jets Girls' Costumes

The Jets girls’ costumes showcase their unique style and confidence. Designed for high-energy dance numbers, these outfits feature cool colours like icy blues, greys, and black, with sharp shapes and bold details that reflect their tough attitude. The lines and fun touches highlight their individuality and loyalty to the Jets. Each costume represents their strength and sass, bringing their vibrant personalities to life. Your gift helps our costume team create these striking outfits, ensuring the Jets girls’ energy shines on stage.

Interested in contributing towards these costume pieces?

Gift Item Number: 406

Doc’s Store Set Piece

Doc's Shop is more than just a corner store—it's a sanctuary and neutral ground in West Side Story. For Tony, it's a safe space where he seeks guidance from Doc, a mentor who represents hope in a divided world. The shop is central to the story, showing the characters' humanity and struggles. Your donation will help us create Doc's Shop, focusing on the register area. Funds will be used to craft realistic details like an antique cash register, counter decorations, and authentic signs that bring this important space to life on stage.

Interested in contributing towards this set piece?

GIFT Item Number: 407

Anita's Dress Shop Set Piece

Anita’s Dress Shop is a vibrant space filled with dreams, culture, and community. It represents Anita’s independence and pride as she builds a life in a new country, while also serving as a place where she and Maria share hopes, sew dresses, and celebrate their Puerto Rican heritage. The shop, with its lively colours and elegant fabrics, reflects the warmth, resilience, and cultural identity of the characters. Your donation will help us create this space, funding intricate details like wallpapers, mannequins, and authentic decorations to immerse the audience in Anita’s world.

Interested in contributing towards this set piece?

Gift Item Number: 408

Flying-In Windows Set Piece

The gym dance scene in West Side Story is a crucial moment where the American and Puerto Rican communities come together in a vibrant clash of cultures. Here, Tony and Maria meet for the first time, their connection cutting through the tension and divisions around them. The energetic dancing, striking costumes, and varied music create a visually stunning representation of love, rivalry, and cultural identity. Your donation will help us create the stunning gym windows that play an important role in setting the atmosphere for this iconic scene. These windows will be designed to light up and change colours to reflect the music, costumes, and shifting emotions of the story. They will beautifully symbolize the blending and contrasting cultures of the Americans and Puerto Ricans, enhancing the immersive experience for the audience.

Interested in contributing towards this set piece?

Donation Item Number: 409

Metal Fire Escape Set Piece

The fire escape is the heart of one of the most unforgettable moments in West Side Story—when Tony and Maria sing the beautiful duet “Tonight.” It’s where their love transcends the chaos and tension of their world, a modern Romeo and Juliet balcony scene that captures their hope and longing for a better future. This tender and emotional moment symbolizes their deep connection, making the fire escape an essential part of the story’s visual and emotional impact. Your donation will help us build the metal fire escape, designed to safely support the actors standing on it while ensuring it meets the iconic look of the original. This structure will include sturdy materials, realistic design elements, and professional craftsmanship to bring this pivotal scene to life.

Interested in contributing towards this set piece?

Donation Item Number: 410

14-Piece Orchestra

West Side Story is such a lush, orchestral score. Leonard Bernstein has written the music to be an extension of the story-telling of this work. The original orchestration is for a minimum of 28 players and the reduced orchestration is arranged for 19 instruments. When reducing orchestrations further, you lose the colour, texture and ambiance. In order to respect the music and story’s integrity, our Music Director has selected an instrumentation of 14 of the 19 instruments that will best honour the original orchestration. This orchestra includes essential instruments such as strings (violins, cellos), brass (horn, trumpets, trombones), woodwinds (flutes, clarinets), bass, drums, percussion, and keyboards. Each instrument plays a vital role in bringing the vibrant and emotional music of West Side Story to life. With a limited budget, we are humbly seeking donors’ help to ensure that we can maintain this 14-piece band without having to reduce the number of instruments. Your donation will help us to pay a fair wage to our talented musicians, rent high-quality instruments, and provide the necessary equipment for sound design to deliver the best possible experience for our audience. Your support will directly contribute to preserving the authenticity of the music and enhancing the overall production value of West Side Story. Every donation, no matter the size, helps us make this vision a reality.

Interested in contributing towards this item?

Step 2. Making Your Contribution

Go to our GoFundMe page using the button below. Enter the dollar amount of your chosen gift item.  

Email your receipt to info@ctora.ca with your gift item number and the name associated with the donation.

CTORA GoFundMe

Thank you for supporting live theatre! If you have any questions contact us. After we receive your receipt and gift information, you will receive confirmation within 24 hours.

Theatre

Academy

CTORA Productions acknowledges that we live, work and play on the unceded and traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples – sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations.