Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Theatre News: New York


Playbill.com reported some exciting news yesterday that had theatre communities around the globe buzzing as West Side Story is coming back to Broadway! This will be the second revival of the show, which saw its first staged in February of 1980. This production is said to be darker, grittier and bilingual.

According to Playbill.com:
"The new Broadway production of the landmark musical West Side Story, directed by librettist Arthur Laurents, will begin previews Feb. 23, 2009, at a Nederlander theatre to be announced, the producers confirmed July 16. A March 2009 opening date will be announced, according to producers Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander and Jeffrey Seller. As previously reported, a pre-Broadway engagement will play Dec. 16, 2008-Jan. 17, 2009, at Washington, DC's National Theatre, where the musical made its world premiere in 1957" (Playbill.com)

West Side Story has music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Laurents. The staging will employ the original choreography of late director Jerome Robbins, who conceived the project by using Romeo and Juliet as inspiration. Furthermore, the Robbins choreography will be restaged by Tony Award nominee Joey McKneely.

This West Side Story will have an onstage cast of 37 and 30 musicians in the orchestra pit.
JH

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