WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 12:50pm

The revival of the classic American musical West Side Story — directed by its librettist, current Gypsy Tony nominee Arthur Laurents — will begin previews at a Broadway theatre to be announced Feb. 13, 2009.

As previously reported, the new production of West Side Story will premiere at The National Theatre in Washington, DC, playing Dec. 16, 2008-Jan. 17, 2009.

The production, according to a casting notice, will feature Jerome Robbins' original choreography, re-created by Joey McKneely (Tony nominee for The Life and Smokey Joe's Café). Patrick Vaccariello will be the production's musical director.
Laurents-Directed West Side Story Sets Broadway Preview Date

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 12:51pm

Yay!

[B3TA07]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 12:53pm

¡Bueno!

[acrocksyo]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 1:03pm

Very curious to see how it can be contemporary with the original choreography, because you don't really see choreography like that in contemporary musical theater.

Updated On: 5/23/08 at 01:03 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 1:07pm

So excited!! This is, in my opinion, the best musical ever written and I can't wait to see this production. Does anyone know any of the specifics of how this production is going to be? I saw the interview with Laurents on NY1 and he didn't really give too much away...

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 1:14pm

All we know so far is..

He wants the cast very young and unknown
There will be Spanish speaking and I guess singing
He wants the gang members to act and sing like actual gang members
No music, dialogue/lyrics, or choreography will be changed.

He's being pretty vague.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 1:47pm

AHHHHHHHHHHH

(Useful post, I know)

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:01pm

Contemporary musical theatre choreography might be classified as humorous, athletic, clever, or even possibly ingenious, but not brilliant. Jerome Robbins's choreography for WEST SIDE STORY was brilliant. You don't mess around with that component of a musical theatre masterpiece.

Joey McKneely, who will be re-creating the original Jerome Robbins choreography, was a Jet in the WEST SIDE STORY suite of dances in JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY of 1989. His work on next season's revival is analagous to Bonnie Walker's reproduction choreography of Jerome Robbins's work in GYPSY starring, respectively, Tyne Daly, Bette Midler, and Patti LuPone. Maybe that is one of the things that hindered the Bernadette Peters lackluster production of GYPSY.

Updated On: 5/23/08 at 02:01 PM

[tinkerscanne]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:01pm

I also cannot wait as this is my most favorite musical EVER! I am very excited for the young actors/actresses that will be cast and it will be nice to have a more traditional sounding show with a youthful cast.

Cannot wait for more information!

[zamedy]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:21pm

Can't wait. I will fly to NYC just to see this. A true masterpiece of musical theatre. I'd say it's about time it is revived but I think the waiting will be worth it. No one would want to see some half-baked production put on just for the sake of reviving it. There's too much integrity to uphold here.

Does anyone know when the last time WSS was revived for Broadway?

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:25pm

1980

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:28pm

I was really hoping that there would be a new choreographer. While I admire and love the original work by Jerome Robbins, I think its time to see how someone else would do it. Oh well.......

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:28pm

And Mr. Laurents did NOT like that 1980 production. I am glad he is re-imagining it, without really changing it.


They are not allowed to change the choreography. And they would not want to.
Updated On: 5/23/08 at 02:28 PM

[James885]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:29pm

I'll be seeing it during it's try-out at the National. Can't wait!

[jennyish]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:58pm

I cannot WAIT to see it in DC. I'm so glad it'll be there over my winter break.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 3:00pm

Very exciting!

[KrissySim]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 3:16pm

Damn! If I can afford flying in from Europe to see it, I will.... If fuel prices aren't sky-high by then (no pun intended).

[shh282]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 4:38pm

I'm so excited. oh boy.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 4:46pm

No me diga

[musikman]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:01pm

I still don't know how I feel about the changes being made..but


EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH


If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:07pm

"He wants the cast very young and unknown "

That's interesting, considering who's been in the final callbacks in the past week or so. :)

[B3TA07]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:07pm

"That's interesting, considering who's been in the final callbacks in the past week or so. :) "

¡Pacencia y fe!

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:12pm

That's interesting, considering who's been in the final callbacks in the past week or so. :)


- It's what Laurents said. Not my words.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:13pm

¿Donde estas?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:22pm

Doesn't seem like they're giving themselves much time for changes between D.C. and New York. Is that enough time to install the show and run the show a few times?