Milton Theatre's Summer Production WEST SIDE STORY Blends Broadway & Technology

This summer, the Milton Theatre invites audiences to experience West Side Story like never before-with cinematic digital backdrops crafted using the same revolutionary technology behind Disney's The Mandalorian and the Star Wars universe.

Running for 23 performances from July 10 to August 3, West Side Story is the crown jewel of the Milton Theatre's 2025 Mainstage season. But beyond the iconic music, electric dancing, and timeless storytelling, this production brings a new kind of magic to the stage-thanks to local artist Mal Meehan, whose fully animated 3D environments will immerse audiences in a living, breathing New York City.

"No other theatre in the nation has these images," says Meehan. "So patrons of the Milton Theatre really are getting a very unique, never-to-be-seen-elsewhere, high-tech experience."

Meehan, originally from the UK and designed shows in London's West End, used Twinmotion, a 3D architectural visualization platform built on Epic Games' Unreal Engine-the same software suite used in next-gen video games and virtual production. His work renders a richly detailed, 360-degree neighborhood of West 68th Street circa 1958, complete with shifting daylight, gritty textures, and even seasonal foliage. Six months in the making, the digital set becomes a dynamic character in its own right.

"I set out to recreate the entire neighborhood being torn down to make way for Lincoln Center," he adds. "Every building, every street, every piece of graffiti had to be photo-ready. You can drop a camera anywhere in the model and get a scene."

From the rooftops to the alleys, from fire escapes to stoops, this immersive environment doesn't just provide a backdrop-it transforms each moment into a cinematic spectacle. And for the sharp-eyed theatregoer... Easter eggs from the original 1961 film are hidden throughout the digital neighborhood-including a cheeky nod to the artist himself: 'Meehan's Ale House.'

"I see the animated backgrounds as another actor in the performance," Meehan notes. "It gives the performers something more accurate and inspiring to perform to."

West Side Story at the Milton Theatre is more than a musical. It's a cutting-edge fusion of tradition and technology, storytelling and spectacle-a rare chance to see a Broadway classic through a truly modern lens.

Tickets available online at MiltonTheatre.com or call the box-office at 302.684.3038 for assistance. Direct ticket link: https://etix.com/ticket/e/1047225