Palace Theatre, Manchester
One of the best-loved and most iconic musicals of all time, West Side Story, comes to the Palace Theatre, Manchester next month.
West Side Story changed the course of musical theatre when it opened on Broadway in 1957 and it still remains one of the most successful stage shows of all time. The 1961 film version won ten Academy Awards.
Based on Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story is set on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and explores the rivalry between two teenage gangs; one white, the other Puerto Rican. When Tony falls in love with Maria, the sister of the rival gang’s leader, the feud takes on a new dimension, and as their love blossoms so begins a fatal journey overshadowed by violence and hatred.
The score includes the unforgettable songs Maria, Tonight, Somewhere, America and I Feel Pretty.
West Side Story will star Katie Hall as Maria, Louis Maskell as Tony, Djalenga Scott as Anita and Jack Wilcox as Riff.
Katie Hall was most recently seen as Christine in the national tour of The Phantom of the Opera. She was a boot camp contestant for the BBC1’s search for Nancy in I’d Do Anything and was a final round contender for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s search for the Eurovision entry, Your Country Needs You, also for BBC1. She has also played Christine in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London and Cosette in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre in the West End, on the 25th Anniversary tour and also at the O2.
Louis Maskell has previously appeared in the national tour of Scrooge -The Musical and Iolanthe at Wilton’s Music Hall.
Djalenga Scott has appeared in Chicago in the West End as well as the national tour of Flashdance – The Musical and the European tour of The Rocky Horror Show.
Jack Wilcox was most recently seen in Singin’ in the Rain at the West End’s Palace Theatre. His other West End credits include Wicked and Shoes.
The rest of the company includes Bruce Aguilar-Rohan, Charlotte Baptie, Challyce Brogdon, Charlie Cameron, Danielle Cato, Javier Cid, Nicola Coates, Rachel Crocker, Matthew Croke, David Delve, Lisa Dent, Rachel Ensor, Fraser Fraser, Sergio Giacomelli, Matthew Hawksley, Dom Hodson, Liam Paul Jennings, Devon McKenzie Smith, Alex Pinder, Scott Rayner, Sam Salter, Katie Singh, Sergi Terns, Fenia Tsikitikou, Sion Tudor Owen and Niko Wirachman.
This production of West Side Story features the entire original Jerome Robbins choreography. Over Christmas 2012, this production played a completely sold out season at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris, having previously sold out in cities around the world, including Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, Berlin, Madrid, and Beijing. This production was last seen in the UK in 2008/9 when it also sold out for a season at Sadler’s Wells and played to capacity houses throughout a year long UK tour.
West Side Story originally directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, has a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein with Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
This production is directed and choreographed by Joey McKneely using the full original Jerome Robbins choreography. Joey is the former assistant to Jerome Robbins. He has worked extensively on Broadway where his choreography credits include Smokey Joe’s Café (Tony Award nomination) and The Boy From Oz starring Hugh Jackman. His other credits include Hal Prince’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Whistle Down the Wind and Nicholas Hytner’s production of Twelfth Night
West Side Story is presented by BB Promotion in collaboration with Sundance Productions Inc., NY and Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group.
Listing Information:
West Side Story
Palace Theatre, Oxford St, Manchester
Tuesday 10 December 2013 – Saturday 4 January 2014
Perf Schedule: Mon – Sat eves 7.30pm. Midweek & Sat matinees 2.30pm
Tickets £15-£55
0844 871 3019
www.atgtickets.com/manchester
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