Centenary Stage to Present WEST SIDE STORY, 8/2-11

It's been called one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time, the award-winning West Side Story now comes to the Centenary Stage. This timeless musical launched Stephen Sondheim's Broadway career and with help of other creative geniuses like Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein, it has become a classic in the American theatrical repertoire. The New Jersey Youth Theatre will be celebrating the 10th Anniversary of their award-winning production by bringing a New Group of talented young-adult actors that Director Cynthia Meryl calls "the future of Broadway" to the Lackland Center to showcase the phenomenal training that NJYT provides. Performances will take place August 2nd - 11th at the Sitnik Theatre in the David and Carol Lackland Center at 715 Grand Avenue in Hackettstown.

In 2003, NJYT's production of West Side Story won the Music Theatre International's Award of Excellence, an award rarely allotted. The show is a musical masterpiece that set a standard of excellence in American musical theater seldom, if ever, achieved since. The original stage production opened in 1957 with powerful direction and choreography by Jerome Robbins, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents, and a musical score by Leonard Bernstein featuring now-legendary songs such as "Tonight," "Maria", and "America." Director Cynthia Meryl talks about how this story, though written over half a century ago, is still relevant today. And critic Ruth Ross furthers the point, "The added tragedy of Tony and Maria reminds us that, despite improved communication between people...sectarian strife continues to leave tragedy in its wake. And it all stems from, as one character puts it, fear."