5th Avenue Theatre to Present 'West Side Story'

In honor of the 50th anniversary of West Side Story, Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre is producing a new show featuring a full 25-piece orchestra and a cast of 43 actors, singers and dancers. The 5th Avenue is pairing up with Seattle's acclaimed Spectrum Dance Theater to re-create the original Jerome Robbins choreography seen in the 1957 Broadway production and the Academy Award-winning 1961 movie. 5th Avenue's Associate Artistic Director, Bill Berry (Wonderful Town, The Wizard of Oz, Smokey Joe's Cafe) will direct.

Press releases state, "A modern retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story maps the collision course of two feuding New York City street gangs – the Jets and the Sharks – and the young lovers caught in the crossfire. Winner of two Tony Awards and 10 Academy Awards, West Side Story is an American theater masterpiece, with explosive dancing and some of the most electrifying music ever written for the Broadway stage, including 'Maria,' 'Tonight' and 'Somewhere.'"

Press notes continue, "West Side Story was created by four legends of the theater, with a score by Leonard Bernstein (Wonderful Town, Candide, On the Town), book by Arthur Laurents (Gypsy), lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd, Company, Into the Woods), and choreography by Jerome Robbins (Fiddler on the Roof, Gypsy, The King and I). For the first time in Broadway history, dance – Jerome Robbins' electrifying, seamless blend of the classical and the street-smart – stood on an equal basis with Leonard Bernstein's music and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics."

The 5th Avenue is bringing in choreographer Bob Richard (Broadway's Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas) to re-create Robbins' landmark choreography. Richard has danced in many productions of West Side Story, including the last that Robbins himself oversaw before his death in 1998.

West Side Story's cast includes Louis Hobson (Miss Saigon, Hair, Pippin) as Tony, Maegan McConnell as Maria, Michael D. Jablonski as Riff, leader of the Jet gang, Miguel A. Romero as Bernardo, leader of the Sharks, Manoly Farrell as Anita, and Seán Griffin (My Fair Lady) as Doc. The show also features Mo Brady, Gabe Corey, Casey Craig, Daniel Cruz, Bojohn Diciple, Jim Gall, Allen Galli, Richard Isaac, Chad Jennings, Jason Kappus, Roderick Kennedy, Rickey Klein, Jeremy Leiner, Jeremy Lucas, Lauralyn McClelland, Trina Mills, Naomi Morgan, Kathy Nejat, Maya RS Perkins, Alana Peters, Michael Ramey, Angel Reed, John Scott, Mark Shunkey, Pamela Turpen, Troy Wageman, Jared Wootan and Kari Zander, and Spectrum Dance Theatre's David Alewine, Kelly Ann Barton, Ty Cheng, Natalie Dahlstrom, Peter de Grasse, Allison Keppel, Hannah Lagerway, Lara Seefeldt and Danielle Wilkins.

The show's creative team includes conductor/musical director Ian Eisendrath (Company, Sweeney Todd), set design by Martin Christoffel, lighting design by Tom Sturge, sound design by Jeremy J. Lee, costume design by Lynda Salsbury, and hair/make-up design by Mary Pyanowski. Erica Schwartz is the production stage manager.

Tickets to West Side Story are priced from $20 to $75. Tickets are available over the phone by calling 206-625-1900 (toll free
888-5TH-4TIX), online at www.5thavenue.org or in person at the box office in downtown Seattle. There is no service charge when purchasing tickets in person at The 5th Avenue Theatre Box Office.

West Side Story showtimes, according to press notes:

May 26 – June 17, 2007

Tuesday         Evening                7:30 pm
Wednesday    Evening                7:30 pm
Thursday       Evening                8:00 pm
Friday           Evening                8:00 pm
Saturday       Matinee                2:00 pm
Saturday       Evening                8:00 pm
Sunday         Matinee                1:30 pm
Sunday         Evening                7:00 pm