Short answers, pulled from the story.
West Side Story was conceived by Jerome Robbins, with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. The original Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on the 26th of September, 1957.
West Side Story is inspired by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The musical transplants the rival families into two teenage street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, set in the mid-1950s Upper West Side of Manhattan.
The 1961 film adaptation won ten Academy Awards from eleven nominations, including Best Picture. It holds the record for the most Academy Awards won by any musical film. Rita Moreno, as Anita, became the first Latina actress to win an Oscar.
Sondheim wrote the lyrics for West Side Story. West Side Story marked his Broadway debut. Bernstein originally shared a co-lyricist credit but removed his name during the out-of-town tryout, leaving Sondheim as sole credited lyricist.
The original 1957 production was nominated for six Tony Awards in 1958, including Best Musical. It won two: Best Choreography for Jerome Robbins and Best Scenic Design for Oliver Smith.
The 2009 revival, directed by Arthur Laurents, wove Spanish lyrics and dialogue into the English libretto, with translations by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Songs including "I Feel Pretty" and "A Boy Like That" were initially sung in Spanish by the Sharks, though some were returned to English midway through the run. The revival ran for 748 performances and sold over a million tickets.