WEST SIDE STORY to Close January 2

The hit revival of WEST SIDE STORY, directed by its two-time Tony Award winning librettist Arthur Laurents with the original Jerome Robbins choreography restaged by Tony Award nominee Joey McKneely, will play its final performance on Broadway on Sunday, January 2, 2011, having played 27 preview and 748 regular performances.

On Monday, December 20, 2010, this Tony Award-winning production of WEST SIDE STORY will become the longest running incarnation of the groundbreaking musical, surpassing the original production which held the record having played 732 Performances on Broadway. This production of WEST SIDE STORY recouped its $14 million investment after running only 30 weeks (247 performances), Karen Olivo won a 2009 Tony Award for her performance as Anita, and this production's original cast recording won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. A national touring production launches in Detroit on September 30, 2010, going on to cross the country visiting cities including Los Angeles, Orlando, Houston and Atlanta.

2009 Tony Award nominee Josefina Scaglione will play her final performance as Maria, Sunday, September 19, at 3pm, and Sarah Amengual will be Broadway's new Maria beginning Tuesday, September 21, 2010. Natalie Cortez will continue in the role of Anita for the remainder of the Broadway run (Karen Olivo will not return per doctor's orders) and Matt Shingledecker will play the role of Tony on Wednesday evenings and Sunday matinees beginning October 13th. WEST SIDE STORY currently stars, Matthew Hydzik, Josefina Scaglione, Natalie Cortez, John Arthur Greene, George Akram and Jeremy Jordan leading a cast of 48.

Tickets for WEST SIDE STORY at Broadway's Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway) are on sale at www.ticketmaster.com (212-307-4100) or at the Palace Theatre box office and range from $121.50 - $46.50. The updated playing schedule for WEST SIDE STORY is Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday - Saturday at 8 p.m., Wednesday and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.