Last night, I had the pleasure of experiencing the Most Excellent revival of WEST SIDE STORY at the National Theatre in Washington, DC. The original musical opened in 1957 at the National Theatre, prior to its engagement on Broadway in New York City. This February, WEST SIDE STORY will, again, return to New York after completing its pre-Broadway engagement in DC. The show is running in the Nation's Capitol until 17 January 2009.
The groundbreaking new production is directed by its legendary librettist, Tony Award® winner Arthur Laurents.
The groundbreaking new production is directed by its legendary librettist, Tony Award® winner Arthur Laurents.
From the first notes to the final breath, WEST SIDE STORY is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Mr. Laurents' book remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The score by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim – a collection of standards that includes "Tonight," "America," "Maria," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere" – is widely regarded as one of the best ever written. And the extraordinary, Tony-winning winning choreography by Jerome Robbins completely changed the language of Broadway dance. This production will offer a bold new design that builds on the show’s raw power and emotion to create a fresh experience unlike any that came before it.
