Remember the Jets and the Sharks? Though the music of Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story has its rightful spot in American musical theater history, the dueling-dancing gangs have lost some efficacy with younger audiences. The stylized mobs have become archetypal symbols removed from the realism musical theater lovers are accustomed to nowadays.

The Bernstein setting of the universal Romeo and Juliet tale still edifies, but from afar. Love found, love lost, love forbidden — these themes will forever connect with our ceaseless yearning for romance, companionship and acceptance. Chance McClain's Kissless attempts, successfully, to update the story.

It's impossible not to to make connections between these works and Kissless. The brand-new musical scheduled to make its off-Broadway debut via the New York Musical Theatre Festival is offering preview performances in Houston prior to traveling to the Big Apple, providing a rare opportunity to witness what is considered artistically worthy of the eight-year old, three-week event.

Such was the case this weekend at the Richard E. Berry Educational Support Center, with one more performance scheduled at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday.

With a cast of 27 local high school students and emerging artists — a rare occurrence as most shows accepted to the festival will be played by professional New York actors — the pressure is on for these young stars to deliver, though one of the performances is already sold out. The musical bacchanal has served as an incubator to propel shows forward. Works like The Great American Trailer Park Musical and [title of show] owe their success to the festival, finding a place on the bills of Houston arts presenters — Stages Repertory Theatre and Theater LaB Houston respectively.

There's a lot at stake, financially — the group needs $100,000 to subsidize production costs — individually and professionally. Many dream of a big New York break. Most don't get it.

McClain strategically chose students to make his message more believable. The archaic Bernstein gangs — he wants listeners to make that association by quoting directly from "Cool" and echoing Jerome Robbin's original choreography — have been replaced by their modern Texas high school equivalent: Goths, jocks, rednecks and nerds.

The characters' quest for their first kiss is undoubtedly a metaphor for a much more all-inclusive message. Seize the day as tomorrow may never come. The tenet is best embodied by the unfulfilled love of the two main characters: Top-jock Derek West (Tyler Galindo) and goth-in-training Summer Stokely (Teresa Zimmermann). Forced to live under the same roof, an unlikely friendship and attraction develops in the absence of external pressures and expectations.

But alas, their separate associations' code of conduct — parental coercion included — forces them in a downward spiral of betrayal and isolation.

Zimmermann had the goods to interpret the misguided head-strong and complicated misfit. Her commanding presence and robust vocals rocked "Fading," the angst-filled song that carried her to final rest. Appearing in contrast, Galindo, who was less theatrical and more matter-of-fact, chose a subdued approach to let the words speak for themselves.

Adding a healthy dose of comic relief were twins Austin and Ryan Jacobs as swing characters. Their likeness was exploited for many trompe l'oeil on-stage effects and hilariously exaggerated yet appropriate quirks, wise beyond their years. They were joined by Megan Blackmon as the delightful Betsy West (Derek's mother) bringing a bouncy caricature-like portrayal of a loony suburban mom with a few loose screws.

As heads of their respective circles, Julia Green as Elizabeth Oakley (goth) and Matt Buzonas as Clint Maroon (redneck) were immaculate and deliciously stereotypical in their roles. That was also the case with Cameron Worthen as Coach Chet West (Derek's father).

Although the essence of Kissless is serious — a study of how teenagers deal with loss — its delivery is composed of 90 percent pure tuneful hilarity and 10 percent sobering contemplation. The stereotyped cliques give full artistic license for composers Kevin Ryan, Frank Bullington and Bryan Ford to explore with diverse popular genres. With a dash of rock, pop, country and traditional Broadway, numerous memorable melodies sure-to-become hits kept audiences humming during intermission and post-performance.

Though a few minute production details still need to be ironed out, that didn't detract from the work's effectiveness nor the audience from showing their enthusiasm with a roaring, and well deserved, standing ovation, while quoting, "Oh, my, goth."

You had to be there.

Houston Family Arts Center Actors Academy and Chance productions present a preview of Kissless the Hobby Center for the Performance Arts on Thursday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $21.25 - $41.25 and can be purchased online.