Photos: Inside Rehearsal for WEST SIDE STORY at Paper Mill Playhouse

Paper Mill Playhouse began rehearsals this week for West Side Story, the final production of Paper Mill’s 2025-2026 season. West Side Story will begin performances on Thursday, May 28 at Paper Mill Playhouse, with opening night set for Sunday, May 31 in a run continuing through Sunday, June 28.

Directed by Paper Mill Producing Artistic Director Mark S. Hoebee, West Side Story is led by a young cast of newcomers alongside several stage veterans, including Noah Henry as Tony, Sarah-Anne Martinez as Maria, Mikaela Secada as Anita, Antony Sanchez as Bernardo, Sean Harrison Jones as Riff, Hugo Pizano Orozco as Chino, Nick Alvino as Action, Stuart Zagnit as Doc, Adam Monley as Schrank, and Adam Kozlowski as Krupke.

The cast also features Gianna Paulina Annesi, Joseph Aued, Bridget Bailey, Anette Barrios-Torres, Taven Blanke, Delaney Diaz, Benjamin Freemantle, Karina Gonzalez, Sofie Hans, Alex Haquia, Macie Harris, Paulo Hernandez-Farella, Beatrice Howell, Cydney Kutcipal, Jamie LaVerdiere, Justin Lopez, Jasper Thomas Moore, Kennedy Perez, Matthew Quintero, Brett Rawlings, Ryan Rodiño, Juan Rojas, Daniel Patrick Russell, Ronan Ryan, Avelina Kiyome Sanchez, and Kyra Sorce.

An enduring masterpiece based on a conception of Jerome Robbins, West Side Story reimagines Romeo and Juliet in 1950s New York, where young lovers Tony and Maria dare to dream of a future together as rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks clash for control of the streets. With music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by Arthur Laurents, this unforgettable classic captures the thrilling passion of first love and the heartbreak of a world divided, featuring the original choreography of Jerome Robbins.