So we’re back with another musical by Lin Manuel Miranda, called 21 Chump Street. This musical is based on a true story about Justin Laboy from 2011. Back in 2011, police officers were sent undercover to three high schools in Palm Beach County, Florida to arrest students who were selling and buying drugs.

Lin took some of the lyrics to these songs directly from the This American Life podcast which I have linked if you want to learn more about this. I really recommend watching this, its about 20 minutes long, very interesting, and catchy.

Podcast: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/457/what-i-did-for-love

Musical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELBGa6-uOhc

The narrator, played by Lin himself, assumes the role of Robbie Brown who interviewed Justin on This American Life.

What the Heck I Gotta Do – the narrator introduces the plan as Operation D- (possibly a failing grade in schools or getting rid of drugs from schools); one school was Park Vista Community High School where Justin was 18, an honor roll student, and in his last semester of senior year; a girl named Naomi Rodriguez moved to his school from New York; at this time Justin did not know that Naomi was an undercover cop, but he did like her; in his interview Justin described Naomi as mature (because she was older); she did her part acting as a student, falling asleep in class, letting Naomi copy his homework; Justin trusted Naomi, he told her about his life and thought she liked him as well; he asked her to prom and serenaded her in front of the whole class “what the heck I gotta do to be with you?”

One School – Naomi (25 year old undercover at the Palm Beach Police Force) says that she can’t tell Robbie Brown her real name but she did say she was asked to prom; Naomi was given the assignment to find students that are selling and buyings drugs so she told Justin that she couldn’t go to prom; according to Justin, Naomi asked him if he smoked weed which he didn’t but he could get her some if she wanted him to because he liked her so much

Cousin – Justin had to ask a lot of people to get weed for Naomi, eventually he gets it from his cousin’s friend; Naomi asks Justin where he’s getting weed from, if his dealer is a student or not; when he finally gets it, Naomi asks to get it from him at school knowing that Justin’s punishment could have been worse if he sold drugs on school property

The Money – Justin, nervously, brings the bag of weed to class the next day; Naomi tells him to put it in her purse so he does; Naomi attempts to give Justin money but he doesn’t accept it, he wanted Naomi to love him back so he doesn’t want her money; in the end they kiss and Naomi leaves the money in Justin’s hand

Epilogue – Justin was 18 so he was charged with a felony, not only for selling marijuana but also for selling it on school grounds; the undercover cops arrested 30 other students that May; Justin took a plea because they had the text messages between himself and Naomi; Naomi revealed that she had personal history with drugs in her family; Justin recalls what he liked in Naomi and why he got her weed, saying that if anyone else asked him for weed he would’ve said no; Justin was not able to get in touch with Naomi, or even find out her real name, but if he did he would ask her, “What the heck did you do?”; Justin wanted to join the Military after high school but was unable to, after his probation he enrolled in community college

I really recommend listening to the podcast, as the musical and my own writing is bias in favor of Justin. Let me know your thoughts about this situation.

West Side Story debuted on Broadway in 1957 and was inspired by Romeo and Juliet. I’m sure you all know the premise so we’re just going to jump right in.

Two gangs, both alike in dignity

In Manhattan, where we lay our scene . . .

So we have our Jets and Sharks, a white American gang and a Puerto Rico gang. The gangs get in a fight which Officer Krupke breaks up.

Jet Song – the boys express their pride of being a Jet; the leader – Riff, plans on challenging the Sharks at a dance, which will take place in neutral territory

Riff wants his best friend Tony to fight alongside the Jets. He goes to invite him to the dance but Tony is uncertain.

Something’s Coming – Tony sings about a feeling he has that something important is coming to him; Riff suggests that this is because of the dance or upcoming fight

Dance at the Gym – Maria, the Sharks’ leader’s (Bernardo) little sister, and Tony meet at the dance; they fall in love and kiss but Bernardo tells Tony to stay away from her; the gangs plan to meet at Doc’s drug store, another neutral area

Maria – Tony’s song about how he loves Maria

America – Bernardo sends Maria home; Bernardo’s girlfriend, Anita, tells him that he is being overprotective; the Sharks and their girlfriends compare life in Puerto Rico and America

Tonight – here we get the famous balcony scene; Tony visits Maria secretly where they confirm their love for each other; it is a hopeful song

The two gangs meet and agree to have fight the next day. Officer Krupke, believing that the Jets are planning something, visits the Jets. Krupke tells the Sharks to leave.

Gee, Officer Krupke – the Jets make fun of Krupke by saying that they don’t cause trouble because they want to, they cause trouble because of the bad situations they grew up in

I Feel Pretty – Maria is very happy to be in love, she sings about how pretty she feels

Anita accidentally tells Maria about the fight happening that night. Tony arrives to see Maria and Anita warns them about Bernardo’s reaction when he finds out. Maria makes Tony promise to stop the fight.

One Hand, One Heart – Tony and Maria fantasize about their wedding

Tonight Quintet – before the fight begins, the Jets, Sharks, Anita, and Maria reveal how they want the night to end; the Jets and Sharks both want to win; Anita just wants Bernardo to come back safely; Maria believes that Tony will stop the fight so they can be together

The Jets and Sharks meet under the highway to start the fight. When Tony tries to stop them, Bernardo insults him. Taking offense, Riff starts a knife fight, instead of a fist fight which they intended. Tony intervenes which causes Bernardo to kill Riff and Tony, in turn, kills Bernardo. As a fight breaks out, they hear the police and run away.

Maria is waiting for Tony when Chino, her arranged fiancé, tells her that Tony killed her brother. After Chino leaves, Tony finds Maria and tells her that he did kill Bernardo. He wants her forgiveness before he goes to the police.

Somewhere – Maria forgives Tony and assures him that she still loves him; Maria and Tony decide to elope

Cool – the Jets’ new leader, Ice, tells everyone to keep cool and not make any rash decisions now that Riff is dead; now that Chino is after Tony, they go to warn him

Maria and Tony are planning on running away and Anita sees him leaving through the window.

A Boy Like That/I Have A Love – Anita chides Maria for loving someone who could kill their brother; Maria says she knows this logically but she does love him; Anita eventually decides to help Maria and Tony get eloped

Anita gives Tony a message from Maria to make the rest of the Jets believe she died. Just as Maria and Tony are about to be reunited, Chino shoots Tony. The rest of the Jets and Sharks find Maria holding Tony’s dead body in her arms. Maria takes the gun from Chino and threatens to kill everybody there. The gangs hold a funeral while Chino is arrested.