Ivo van Hove’s reimagined West Side Story will be arriving soon on Broadway with previews in 10th December 2019 and Opening date slated for Feb 06 2020. In a interview with Vouge Magazine, Ivo advised the new production will be a streamlined to a one act musical. He stated that all the action in the story is from a 48 hour period and wanted “You to feel that these people are running toward their death and there’s no escape from it”. However the need to cut down the story means we lose two very iconic scenes from the original including “I Feel Pretty” by Maria and the “Somewhere Ballet” full cast.

Premiered on Broadway in 1957, West Side Story retells the tragic Romeo and Juliet tale of young lovers from feuding families against the backdrop of ethnic gang violence on New York’s Upper West Side in the pre-gentrification 1950s. It features a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The original production ran for 732 performances, with a 1960 return engagement running an additional 249 shows. The musical was revived on Broadway in 1980 and 2009.

Van Hove’s production will be the first major staging in the U.S. to depart from the classic template of original director-choreographer Jerome Robbins’ iconic dances, immortalized in the 1961 film version that won 10 Oscars, including best picture. The Broadway revival will feature all-new choreography by Belgian modern dance luminary De Keersmaeker. It begins previews Dec. 10 at the Broadway Theatre, with an official opening night set for Feb.

“This is not like any West Side Story anybody has seen,” Rudin told The Hollywood Reporter. “It is being treated as a new work — and being made by a group of artists who have made a remarkable amount of visionary theater for their whole lives. Having done two shows with Ivo that I loved doing, this is a hugely important show for us. We’re honored to have the opportunity to do it.”.

The West Side Story revival marks the formation of a new powerhouse producing triumvirate of industry heavyweights. While Diller has been involved in several of Rudin’s Broadway productions since 2013, including The Humans, Three Tall Women and To Kill a Mockingbird, among others, this marks Geffen’s return as a principal Broadway producer for the first time since the 1980s, when he was a lead producer on hits like Cats, Dreamgirls and M. He also was one of the original producers on the off-Broadway cult musical Little Shop of Horrors, which ran for five years in its 1982 premiere run.

“This is, in fact, the beginning of an ongoing partnership,” explained Rudin of the new producing team. “It comes out of long friendships and long working relationships that are enormously important to me, and have been for many years. Barry and David are the two smartest people I know. We like each other, we like making work together, we’re good friends and good collaborators — it’s a very natural and easy fit, and we all bring something different to the table. They are both much, much smarter than me — and frankly, I’m just happy to be in the room.”.

“I couldn’t be more excited by this cast and this group of collaborators, featuring more Broadway debuts than I can ever remember,” said Rudin. “West Side Story is fundamentally about the life of kids — and this wildly gifted ensemble will, I expect, deliver and amplify the energy Ivo and Anne Teresa are bringing to this incredible piece created by the four giants who made it. It’s a pedigree no other historic title shares.”.

“I’m extremely grateful to Steve Sondheim, and to the estates of Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents and Jerry Robbins, for allowing us to do this,” continued Rudin. “They don’t perceive West Side Story as an antique to be preserved in amber — and they know that for it to live, and to stay alive, they have to encourage artists of this caliber to engage with it. West Side Story will always be there. This is simply the next iteration of it.”.

West Side Story Memorabilia HERE

Cast

Yesenia Ayala – Anita/Bernardo’s Girl
Shereen Pimentel – Maria/Bernardo’s Sister
Isaac Powell – Tony/Riff’s Friend
Amar Ramasar – Bernardo/ The Leader, The Sharks
Ben Cook – Riff/ The Leader, The Jets
Kevin Csolak – A-Rab/ A Jet

Creative

Book by Arthur Laurents
Based on a Conception by Jerome Robbins
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Music orchestrated by Jonathan Tunick
Musical Director: Alexander Gemignani
Directed by Ivo van Hove
Choreographed by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker
Scenic Design by Jan Versweyveld
Costume Design by An D’Huys
Lighting Design by Jan Versweyveld
Sound Design by Tom Gibbons
Video Design by Luke Halls

Reference

‘West Side Story’ Broadway Revival Cast Unveiled | Hollywood …. (2019). Retrieved on November 12, 2019, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/west-side-story-broadway-revival-cast-unveiled-1223044.

Complete Cast and Theatre Announced for the Broadway Revival of …. (2019). Retrieved on November 12, 2019, from http://shubert.nyc/press/complete-cast-and-theatre-announced-for-the-broadway-revival-of-west-side-story/.

West Side Story Discount Tickets. (2019). Retrieved on November 12, 2019, from http://www.broadwaybox.com/shows/west-side-story/.

West Side Story Ivo Van Hove Vogue Magazine (2019). Retrieved on November 12, 2019, from https://www.vogue.com/article/west-side-story-broadway-ivo-van-hove

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