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West Side Story Tickets Information
West Side Story is, of course, the musical with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by Arthur Laurents West Side Story is the musical that captivated generations of theater-goers and movie buffs alike, and now it’s being reimagined for a whole new generation.
The story of West Side Story, straight out of Shakespeare, revolves around Tony, member and former leader of a street gang called the Jets, and Maria, sister of the current leader of rival gang the Sharks. Despite the disapproval of everyone they care about - like Tony’s best friend and the Jet’s current leader Riff and like Maria’s brother Bernardo and his girlfriend Anita – and to the background of a deadly gang war fueled by their romance, Tony and Maria fall in love and face the dire consequences.
First came the Broadway show West Side Story, opening in 1957 at the Winter Garden Theatre, originally directed and choreographed by the legendary Jerome Robbins, and starring a original cast headlined by Larry Kert (Tony), Carol Lawrence (Maria), and Chita Rivera (Anita). The original Broadway production of West Side Story received a Tony Award nomination for Best Picture, but lost to “The Music Man”.
In 1958, West Side Story tickets received their premiere in London, opening at the Manchester Opera House and then moving to Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s famed West End. With Chita Rivera reprising her role as Anita, this cast introduced George Chakiris as Riff, who was later to be a part of the cast for the West Side Story movie.
The film version of West Side Story was directed by Robert Wise in 1961 and starred Richard Beymer as Tony, Natalie Wood as Maria, and Rita Moreno as Anita. West Side Story, the film, won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
After its last performance at the Winter Garden in 1960, West Side Story tickets appeared periodically over the years in several limited engagements and revivals, most notably the West Side Story Broadway revival in 1980 which, in 2007, Arthur Laurents said he was disappointed with.
Inspired by the desire to captivate contemporary audiences with West Side Story’s timelessness, Laurents went busily to work and came up with the version he directed in 2008 that, after a trial run at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., moved to the Palace Theatre in New York, previewing on February 23, 2009 and opening March 19, 2009, where it went on to become the Broadway revival of West Side Story tickets that audiences are still clamoring for today.
Among the changes West Side Story diehards might notice and new audience will appreciate is the weaving of Spanish language portions of the text throughout the spoken dialogue and the sung lyrics (turning “I Feel Pretty”, for example, into “Me Siento Hermosa”). The new version also brings more authenticity to the violent nature of gangs, free from the inhibitions of the ‘50’s that restricted those elements of the production.
Director and book-writer Arthur Laurent is also the man responsible for “Gypsy”, “Home of the Brave”, “The Snake Pit”, “Rope”, “Anastasia”, “The Way We Were”, and “The Turning Point”.
Leonard Bernstein is an eclectic and prolific composer of stage, screen, and orchestral works, and is the winner of several Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, and Tony Awards. Set to the combination of his rich score and unforgettable songs like “Somewhere”, “Tonight”, “Maria”, and “America”, West Side Story has become timeless for its untrammeled portrayal of best and worst in humanity, the dual passions of love and hate.
Stephen Sondheim is also known for “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”, “Company”, “Follies”, “A Little Night Music”, Sweeney Todd”, “Merrily We Roll Along”, “Sunday in the Park with George”, “Into the Woods”, and others.
Today’s West Side Story tickets will show you Jerome Robbins’ choreography, staged by Joey McKneely ( Reproduction Choreographer) and Patrick Vaccariello’s musical direction (musical director for the “Gypsy” revival with Patti LuPone and the National Tour of “A Chorus Line”);
Starring as Tony is Matt Cavenaugh (Broadway’s “Grey Gardens”, “A Catered Affair”, and “Urban Cowboy”; National Tour “Thoroughly Modern Millie”). Starring as Maria is Josefina Scaglione (trained opera singer who originated Amber in Argentina's premiere of “Hairspray”).
Costarring with them is Karen Olivo who won the 2009 Tony Awards for her role as Anita (originated Vanessa in the Tony winning “In The Heights” on and off Broadway; also Broadway’s RENT and Brooklyn, and TV’s “Law & Order”), and Cody Green as Riff (winner of Bravo TV’s “Step It Up and Dance” $100,000 grand prize; “Movin’ Out” on Broadway and London’s West End; Broadway’s “Grease”; National Tour of “Mamma Mia”).
Including Karen Olivo’s win, the current revival of West Side Story earned 4 Tony Award nominations, including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Actress (for Josefina Scaglione). West Side Story tickets are on sale now.
