von Essen Stars In Pittsburgh CLO's 'West Side Story'

Experience the passion, romance and excitement of the most electrifying music ever written for Broadway, when Pittsburgh CLO proudly presents West Side Story August 5 through August 17 at the Benedum Center.  This classic musical is filled with jet-propelled dancing, melodious songs and the poignancy of youthful heartbreak.

A Tony® Award-winning musical bursting with excitement, West Side Story updates the story of Romeo and Juliet as a tale of switchblade feuds between American and Puerto Rican gangs in the slums of New York. Feel the emotion and thrill of hit songs "Maria," "Tonight," "I Feel Pretty" and the other legendary Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim songs.

 
ABOUT THE CAST
Max von Essen (Tony) recently performed in the Broadway production of Les Misérables. He has appeared in several CLO productions, including My Fair Lady and The Pirates of Penzance. His other Broadway credits include Dance of the Vampires and Jesus Christ Superstar. Mr. von Essen has starred in off-Broadway and National Tours, including Desperate Measures, The Fantasticks, John and Paul, West Side Story, Chicago, Sweeney Todd, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Hair. He has been seen on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," the Tony® Awards and in numerous commercials. Mr. von Essen has also performed the National Anthem at Major League Baseball's World Series.

Ali Ewoldt (Maria) recently played Cosette in the Broadway and National Tour production of Les Misérables. Ms. Ewoldt has also starred in Honor, Encore, The King and I, Beauty and the Beast, The Fantasticks and as Jasmine in Aladdin. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology from Yale University.

Manoly Farrell (Anita) is no stranger to Pittsburgh CLO. Audiences may remember her performance as Michelle in the CLO's production of Dreamgirls in 2004.  Ms. Farrell recently appeared in the Broadway workshop Leap of Faith. Other credits include West Side Story, David Marquez Project, Guys and Dolls, Music Man, Kiss Me, Kate, Sweet Charity and A Chorus Line.

Wilson Mendieta (Bernardo) has starred on Broadway in Man of La Mancha and Bombay Dreams. His off-Broadway and other credits include Celia, West Side Story, Chicago and A Chorus Line, in which his performance as Paul earned him a Barrymore

Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. Mr. Mendieta's long list of television credits includes "All of My Children," opposite Susan Lucci, several Dr. Pepper commercials and the voice for "Fleet Bank." As a dancer, he has worked with several prestigious dance companies, including Shapiro & Smith Co., Mark Dendy, Umoja Dance Co. and David Marquez. Mr. Mendieta has taught at the University of Minnesota, State University of New York, Steps on Broadway and Dance New Amsterdam.

Spencer Howard (Riff) is a native New Yorker and graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He most recently returned from playing Riff in the 50th Anniversary International Tour of West Side Story. His other credits include Kenickie in Grease, Smudge in Forever Plaid, Billy Lawler in 42nd Street and Tommy Albright in Brigadoon.

Darren Biggart (A-Rab) recently graduated with a degree in Musical Theater from the University of Michigan, where he performed in several productions, including A Good Boy, The Pajama Game, Seussical the Musical and Carousel.  Mr. Biggart has performed as Junior in Oklahoma! and as the horse in Hello, Dolly!  

Andrew Cao (Chino) has starred in several theater productions, including Kiss Me, Kate, Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mr. Cao also starred as Indio in the 50th Anniversary International Tour of West Side Story. In addition, Mr. Cao played Tommy Keelor in Pittsburgh CLO's production of Annie Get Your Gun this year.

Allison Nock (Anybodys) most recently starred as Kathy Selden in Singin' in the Rain and Evelyn Nesbitt in Ragtime. Ms. Nock also performed in several productions, including Carousel and Company. She recently graduated from Elon University with a degree in Musical Theater.

Cary Tedder (Action) has starred in several Broadway and Regional productions, including The Times They Are A' Changin', "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Hello, Dolly! and Mame. Mr. Tedder also appeared as a pirate in Pittsburgh CLO's production of Peter Pan this year. He is currently a senior at the University of Michigan.

Mikey Winslow (Baby John) is going into his senior year as a Musical Theater Performance major at Western Michigan University.  His university and regional credits include The Pajama Game, Once on this Island, Pippin, On the Town, A Chorus Line and Oklahoma!

Amos Wolff (Big Deal) recently performed in Miss Saigon in St. Louis. Mr. Wolff has appeared in numerous productions, including Carousel, A Good Boy, Mame, Seussical the Musical, The Producers, Aida and Oklahoma! He recently graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Musical Theatre.

Gene A. Saraceni (Doc) is no stranger to Pittsburgh CLO, where his credits include The Sound of Music, Me and My Girl, 1776, Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, The Pajama Game, West Side Story, Fiorello!, Oliver, Annie, My Fair Lady, Anything Goes, Can-Can, Carousel and Fanny.  Mr. Saraceni's regional credits include the Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theater productions of Tartuffe and Hamlet and City Theatre's Temptation.  He toured the United States and Canada in Shakespearean repertory and is now Professor Emeritus of Theatre after a 37-year academic career at Seton Hill University.

Tim Brady (Schrank) has starred in numerous Pittsburgh CLO productions, including A Musical Christmas Carol, The Music Man, 1776, Porgy and Bess, Evita, Casper the Musical and this year's Mame. Mr. Brady has also appeared in various CLO Cabaret shows including Forbidden Broadway: SVU and Big Bang. Other local theaters Mr. Brady has performed with include The Pittsburgh Pops, Starlight Productions, The New Pittsburgh Jewish Theatre, Stage Right and The Theater Factory. Mr. Brady was the managing director of the Conley Inn Dinner Theater in Irwin for 17 years and spent 10 years with Pittsburgh CLO's Gallery of Heroes program.

Gary Kline (Gladhand) returns to Pittsburgh CLO, where he was last seen in Fiddler on the Roof, playing the Rabbi.  Mr. Kline is a faculty member of the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, where he teaches singing and other musical theater courses. He also teaches at the Flying Swan Acting Program in Connecticut and the Broadway Theater Project in Tampa, as well as coordinating the CLO/CMU/ASCAP New Works program.  He has appeared in leading roles in Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar and Secret Garden. His album Lucky, still available, includes duets with Patrick Wilson, Billy Porter and Margaret Whiting.

Paul Palmer (Officer Krupke) walks his third West Side Story beat. Mr. Palmer is a veteran of 52 CLO summer productions and 30 CLO summer seasons. An alumnus of Clarion University, he has performed in musical productions such as 42nd Street, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Funny Girl, Brigadoon, Bells Are Ringing, 1776, My Fair Lady and Mame.

The show's ground-breaking choreography is highlighted in the work of Pittsburgh CLO's ensemble, most notably Yurel Echezarreta, who recently was selected to the cast of the new Broadway production of West Side Story, scheduled to open in 2009.

 
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION STAFF

Van Kaplan (Director) makes his first return to the director's chair since Pittsburgh CLO's 2003 production of She Loves Me. He made his directorial debut at the CLO with Guys and Dolls in 2002. Prior to assuming the role of CLO Executive Producer in 1997, he spent 17 years at Casa Mañana Musicals in Fort Worth, Texas. His other directorial credits include the critically acclaimed production of the Kopit and Yeston's Phantom at North Shore Musical Theater, On the Town, Shear Madness, Ruthless, Sweeney Todd with Candy Buckley, Nunsense starring Jo Anne Worley, Guys and Dolls starring Georgia Engel and South Pacific starring Cathy Rigby. Mr. Kaplan has worked with such celebrities as Betty Buckley, Tony Bennett, Bill Cosby, Natalie Cole, Carol Channing, Jerry Seinfeld, Johnny Mathis and Debbie Reynolds. As a producer, Mr. Kaplan has also successfully produced and launched touring productions of the North American tour of Barry Manilow's Copacabana, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Phantom, Singin' in the Rain, Chess, Grand Hotel, City of Angels, Evita, Brigadoon and the first National Tour of Nunsense II starring Jo Anne Worley.

Mark Esposito (Choreographer) has choreographed several Pittsburgh CLO productions including Brigadoon, Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me, The Music Man, Tommy, Carousel and Oklahoma! Mr. Esposito has also choreographed for North Shore Music Theater, Sacramento Music Circus, Blowing Rock Stage Company, The York Theater Company, Signature Theater Company, The Hollywood Bowl, The Reprise Series, La Mirada Theater, Musical Theater West and Universal Studios.  He is also the choreographer for the annual holiday show Yuletide Celebration starring the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Esposito has served as associate director/choreographer for the Radio City Christmas Show starring the Rockettes and for Walt Disney Global Casting as its consultant choreographer, hiring talent for the shows in Tokyo Disney Resorts. Mr. Esposito has performed in more than 16 Broadway and National Tours and has worked for Jerome Robbins, Michael Kidd, Agnes de Mille, Michael Bennett, Rob Marshall, Bob Fosse, Donald Saddler, Gillian Lynn, Trevor Nunn, David Lee and Jerry Zaks.

Tom Helm (Music Director) returns for his 13th season with Pittsburgh CLO.  Mr. Helm has conducted on Broadway in Les Miserables, Me and My Girl and the revival of Brigadoon.  He also directed of the first national tour of Cats and 5-6-7-8 Dance! starring Sandy Duncan.  Mr. Helm is the resident music director at Paper Mill Playhouse, where he has conducted some 30 productions, including Follies, Crazy For You and She Loves Me.  He is the musical supervisor for the live theatre productions of Diego Live, Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer.  Recently, Mr. Helm was the musical supervisor of the Broadway play-with-music, Souvenir starring Judy Kaye.
HISTORY OF THE SHOW

Originally titled East Side Story, the musical was a modern adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet" set in the slums of New York City. The original production cast Juliet as Jewish, Romeo as Catholic, with the family feud of the Shakespeare tragedy arising from the coincidence of Easter—Passover  celebrations. After talks with Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim, the Jewish-Catholic premise was abandoned in favor of two teenage gangs.

West Side Story had its first performance in Washington D.C. before premiering at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City on September 26, 1957. West Side Story ran for 732 performances before going on tour. West Side Story won two Tony®Awards in 1958, including Best Choreographer (Jerome Robbins) and Best Scenic Designer (Oliver Smith).

West Side Story opened in London in 1958 with Marlys Watters and Ken LeRoy in the title roles. The 1962 film verison scored heavily at award time, winning five Oscars, including Best Picture. Since then, West Side Story has been revived numerous times throughout the world. In 2007, West Side Story celebrated its 50th anniversary on Broadway and will celebrate its London 50th anniversary in 2008. Librettist Arthur Laurents announced he will direct a Broadway revival of West Side Story in 2009.

 
ABOUT THE ORIGINAL CREATIVE TEAM

Jerome Robbins (Conception) has been called "the man who made dancing look like America." In 1940, Mr. Robbins joined Ballet Theatre where he danced in numerous shows, including Bluebird, Helen of Troy, Three Virgins and a Devil and his own Fancy Free. The success of the shows led Mr. Robbins to choreograph such hits as On the Town, Billion Dollar Baby, High Button Shoes, Call Me Madam and Wonderful Town. He doubled as director and choreographer for The Pajama Game, Peter Pan, Gypsy and Fiddler on the Roof, for which he received the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award in 1965. Mr. Robbins' film work included the choreography for The King and I and West Side Story. He choreographed for numerous ballet companies, including the New York City Ballet, Ballet Theatre, Ballet Russe and American Ballet Theatre. By the end of his life in 1998, he has been awarded five Tony® Awards, two Academy® Awards, one Emmy® Award, a Kennedy Center Honor, the National Medal of the Arts, the French Legion of Honor, three Honorary Doctorates and an Honorary Membership in the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.

Arthur Laurents (Librettist) has written countless plays and novels. After studying at Cornell University, Mr. Laurents began writing scripts for radio and in 1945, wrote his first play Home of the Brave. Other plays by Mr. Laurents inclue Time of the Cuckoo, Invitation to a March, The Enclave, and Jolson Sings Again. He also has written several musicals, including West Side Story, Gypsy, Anyone Can Whistle and Do I Hear a Waltz?, which was based on his play Time of the Cuckoo. Mr. Laurents also wrote numerous novels and screenplays, including "The Way We Were," "The Turning Point," "The Snake Pit," "Anastasia" and "Rope." In 2000, he published a memoir entitled Original Story By. Mr. Laurents was nominated for a 2008 Tony® Award for Best Director of a Musical for his musical Gypsy. He recently celebrated his 90th birthday.

Leonard Bernstein (Music) has been called the "Musical Wonder Boy of America."  Mr. Bernstein was appointed to his first permanent conducting post at the New York Philharmonic in 1943, where he completed his first large-scale work "Symphony No. 1: Jeremiah." The piece was first performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1944. More than half of Bernstein's 400-plus recordings were made with the New York Philharmonic. In 1945 he was appointed Music Director of the New York City Symphony Orchestra, a post he held until 1947. Mr. Bernstein has received countless Grammy® Awards, Emmy® Awards and Tony® Awards and has also received the Lifetime Achievment Grammy Award. In 1990, Bernstein received the Praemium Imperiale, an international prize created in 1988 by the Japan Arts Association and awarded for lifetime achievement in the arts. Mr. Bernstein used the $100,000 prize to establish The Bernstein Education Through the Arts (BETA) Fund, Inc., before his death on October 14, 1990. The Broadway catalog is filled with Mr. Bernstein's achievements, including On the Town (music), Candide (music and orchestration) and Side by Side by Sondheim (additional music).

Stephen Sondheim (Lyrics) showcased brilliance in matching words and music in dramatic situations that broke new ground for Broadway musical theater. Mr. Sondheim studied piano and organ as a child and at 15 wrote a musical at the George School in Bucks County, Pa. Under the tutelage of a family friend, Oscar Hammerstein II, he studied musical theater. Returning to New York, he wrote incidental music for The Girls of Summer in 1956 and made his first mark on Broadway as the lyricist for Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story, which opened Sept. 26, 1957, in New York City. Mr. Sondheim also wrote the lyrics for Gypsy and both composed and wrote the lyrics for Company, Assassins, Into the Woods, Follies and Sweeney Todd, which won eight Tony® Awards, including Best Musical. Several Sondheim revues have appeared, including "Side by Side by Sondheim" and "Marry Me a Little." He also wrote the scores for several films, including "Stavisky" and "Reds" and wrote the screenplay for "The Last of Sheila," which won the Edgar Award of the Mystery Writers of America.

 
TICKETS FOR 2008 SUMMER SEASON

Tickets to all CLO performances are available online at www.pittsburghCLO.org, by calling (412) 456-6666, or in person at the Box Office at Theatre Square. Tickets start at $18.50. Groups of 10 or more can enjoy discounted tickets. Call (412) 325-1582 for learn more.

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