The revival of West Side Story currently playing at Dallas Summer Musicals is a gorgeous, straightforward re-creation of the original masterpiece. Librettist Arthur Laurents directed the Broadway production this tour is based on, so the snapshot of nostalgia makes perfect sense. With an attractive young cast positively thrumming with tension and energetic examples of Jerome Robbins’ iconic choreography, the last thing this show feels is dated.

When I was in a high school production of West Side Story, I played one of the Shark girls. Since I fall somewhere between Julianne Moore and Casper on the skin tone scale, you can guess that my particular production was not bound by authenticity. However, authenticity is paramount here: the Puerto Rican characters now speak and sing partially in Spanish, thanks to new translations by In the Heights’ Lin-Manuel Miranda. Even if you don’t speak the language, the passion, romance, and anger behind the lines is still crystal clear. In a landmark evening of theater going, not once did I hear someone loudly whisper, “What did she say?”

To balance out the fresh take on Laurents’ dialogue and Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics, Joey McKneely has reproduced Jerome Robbins’ instantly recognizable choreography here. Seeing balletic gangsters in 1957 when the musical first opened on Broadway was revolutionary, but the juxtaposition of the violent undertones with perfectly pointed toes is still riveting. The “Dance at the Gym,” when the members of the rival Sharks and Jets battle on neutral ground for control of their neighborhood, is a frenetic, frenzied explosion of movement and subtext. Leonard Bernstein’s score is as edgy and dreamy as ever.

The cast, led by doomed lovers Tony (Ross Lekites) and Maria (Evy Ortiz), is uniformly spectacular.Drew Foster plays Riff, the acting leader of the Jets, with an icy composure. On the other end of the spectrum, Jon Drake vibrates with barely concealed angst masked with a smart-ass exterior as Action. He leads a crackerjack rendition of “Gee, Officer Krupke”in Act II, supported by a lithe yet tough Jets ensemble. With roles that are sometimes indistinguishable, here the boys are distinctly defined and bursting with personality.

Michelle Aravena takes up the saucy attitude of Anita, Maria’s soon-to-be sister-in-law. Karen Olivo won a Tony Award in 2009 for the role, which was originally created by the legendary Chita Rivera, and Aravena happily takes up the spitfire mantel. Her deadpan and at times chiding delivery always elicits a laugh, never more so than when playing against the delightfully dense Rosalia (GizelJiminez) in “America.” Presented with a rainbow of ruffled skirts and plenty of sass, the number more than lives up to its expectations.

But what of our New York Romeo and Juliet? Lekites possesses a powerful singing voice that does much to make up for his bland presence as Tony. Ortiz’s Maria is an innocent child, a girl full of wonder and optimism. At the show’s dramatic finale, however, she doesn’t quite plunge the emotional depths necessary to show the character’s heart-breaking anguish.

Visually, the look of the show is understated and fluid, allowing the story to play without interference from too-tall scenery or distracting costumes. The grittiness of the street settings contrasts with the juicy tropical colors of the Sharks’ costumes, but never distracts.

If Glee’s recent foray into West Side Story territory has sparked interest among the youngsters in your life, or if you are longing to experience this jewel of a musical in its most pure form, this production is the perfect opportunity.