In the wake of Occupy Broadway's success and the failure of "The Big Bank" musical initiative comes the screaming-to-go-viral "Occupy West Side Story." Though perhaps less ambitious than its predecessors, this hilarious clip takes aim at NYPD Deputy Inspector Edward J. WInski (who replaced the infamous Tony Baloney) by overdubbing a classic scene from the 1961 film with new lyrics. The result is an entertaining and powerful expression of why occupiers are in the streets, how the economy collapsed, and the sad ironies surrounding the police brutality that the movement has suffered (and, it could be said, benefitted from as well). As one stanza states, "Gee, Officer Winski, please put down your mace/Your checks are paid by citizens you punch in the face/Your pension’s been stolen, and nobody cares/Deep down inside we know you’re scared."

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In one of OWS’ most creative tactics, the guerrilla street-theater musical comedy “Mr. Satan Goes to Wall Street” debuted in Tampa, Florida at the RNC.

“Mr. Satan Goes to Wall Street” is an incredibly ambitious project, involving a full cast, musicians, and a documentary film crew tracking the production from NYC to Tampa through Charlotte and back to NYC.

In Mr. Satan, Satan is laid off from Hell because humanity has become too adept at doing evil. To get his job back, Satan makes a deal with neoliberal economist Larry Summers to break up Occupy Wall Street. But the love between two young OWS activists might shake the Devil’s allegiance. What would Satan do? Our answer: He’d sing!

There's nothing else like this project: it's comic entertainment with serious political content, and the whole thing is a saavy activist tactic. What better way to revive a movement for social justice than musical theater!

All of the public performances are free - in New York City, in Tampa at the RNC, and in Charlotte at the DNC. The production is being enthusiastically promoted by Occupiers on OWS message boards.

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