A row of panel mirrors across the stage at Kentwood High School immediately gives evidence to the emphasis on dance in “West Side Story.”

A recent dance rehearsal opened with 10 minutes of stretching followed by a review of the dances that the players had already learned. Then it was time to shake things up.

Blocking was changed and adjusted with a focus on cleaning up sight lines and teaching the actors to fill the stage.

“We’ve gotten a lot of things done and we’re in good shape,” Director Rebecca Lloyd told the students. “And you really don’t hear me say that.”

This year is the 16th that Lloyd has been involved with Kentwood drama, before that she was involved with drama in the Renton School District. She said she chose “West Side Story” because she loves the music.

“Every song is memorable and people love to sing every single song,” Lloyd said. “Rarely in musicals, especially in modern musicals, do you find that.”

On the Kentwood stage this year are both new and returning faces.

One of those is Dreu Lambarena a senior who has grown up in Kentwood productions. Lambarena plays the part of Maria in “West Side Story” and is in her 15th show with the group. Her first was “Annie” when she was just eight years old. One of her other many roles in Kentwood productions was Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet” as a freshman — the play on which the plot of “West Side Story” is based.

“I love the community of the theater,” Lambarena said. “Everyone here is always friends as they continue,” she said of the camaraderie of the group. She went on to explain that she is still friends with members of that first cast that she performed with.

What Lambarena loves about the group this year is twofold.

“I like how relaxed everyone’s being, and they’re working really hard.”

This is the second Kentwood musical for junior Makani Mafua who is playing the part of Riff. After being in the school’s production last year he was hooked.

“I fell in love with the theater,” Mafua said.

Mafua described the character of Riff as multifaceted, going from funny and laid back to angry and intense.

“I enjoy being able to create a real character,” Mafua said.

As with all high school musical production at this stage, there are seemingly a million things going on at once. Talk of costumes, set construction, learning dance routines, blocking, and memorizing lines, putting all the pieces together and cleaning up all of the little things in a mad dash toward opening night.

The role of Tony is being played by junior Shaun Fisher, his second musical with Kentwood, which is also his second role as a lead.

The highlight of the drama program for Fisher is, “being surrounded by all this talent and having the cast get so close,” he said.

He added that the intriguing thing for him about “West Side Story is the production’s music.

“It’s just different,” Fisher said. “It’s a lot more challenging then other shows I’ve been in.”

Lloyd said that the greatest strength she sees so far in this year’s cast is in how quickly they picked up the dances.

“They’ve really surprised me with how well they can dance,” Lloyd said. “The kids are working so hard at learning the dance that they are doing a great job, I’m really impressed with them.”

This month, Lloyd said, will be for working out all the kinks and focusing on the acting.

“The kids are working hard to get their character and feel their character and be their character,” Lloyd said.

The musical will run May 14-17 and 21-24.