West Side Story 1960 - Articles Page 3.4

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the best film musicals since the sound era began; see if your favorites made the list!

How do we make a list of the 101 greatest show tunes from the past 100 years? Well, we did the near-impossible task.  Check out our full list here! 

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will celebrate its 50th birthday in April 2020 with the return of the timeless hit musical Ragtime, helmed by Founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley. This sweeping and stirring musical masterpiece paints a portrait of America at the dawn of the twentieth century, interweaving the lives of three familiesa?"white, African American, and immigranta?"finding their places and pursuing the American Dream in a rapidly changing world. Featuring the Tony Award-winning book by Pulitzer Prize finalist Terrence McNally (Master Class, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Rink) and the Tony Award-winning score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Once on This Island, Anastasia, Seussical The Musical), the musical is based on E. L. Doctorow's best-selling novel of the same name. An enthusiastic favorite much anticipated by TheatreWorks audiences, Ragtime will begin performances April 1, 2020 and has already been extended by a week to May 3, 2020 (press opening: April 4, 2020) at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St. Mountain View, CA 94041. For tickets (starting at $30) and more information the public may visit TheatreWorks.org or call (650) 463-1960.

The previously announced Neil Diamond musical is inching its way closer to Broadway!

Theater fans tend to highlight certain events throughout the year, moments where the work being produced in theaters, mostly on Broadway, has a chance to shine and become known to greater audiences. The Tony Awards in June and the Thanksgiving Day Parades in November usually draw the most attention, but the Grammy Awards each winter also brings this pleasure to theater fans.

Go inside the creation and 63-year evolution of the musical theatre masterpiece, West Side Story.

25 Shows & Performances in the Tampa Bay Area That Rocked Our World from 2010 to 2019!

The Old Globe's 2020 Summer Season brings to Balboa Park an extraordinarily talented group of artists who will delight audiences with their unique takes on four great works of theatre. The season incudes a classic American musical, a new adaptation of a 20th century thriller, and two of Shakespeare's masterworks on our outdoor stage.

As the decade comes to a close on Broadway, we're doling out some good, old-fashioned superlatives to acknowledge some of the best and brightest theatre people, show elements, and productions that have made this decade one of the best in Broadway history.

Tony-nominated composer Paul Gordon is one of those rare musical theater creators who, like Lin-Manuel Miranda, can write the whole show a?" book, music and lyrics. Gordon's latest work is the musical a?oePride and Prejudicea?? soon to start its world premiere run at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. He has formed a close relationship with the company over the years, including hit productions of his shows a?oeJane Eyre,a?? a?oeEmma,a?? a?oeBeing Earnest,a?? and a?oeDaddy Long Legs.a?? Interestingly, Gordon initially found success as a composer of pop music writing for, and collaborating with, numerous recording artists, including Bette Midler, Quincy Jones, Alanis Morissette, Smokey Robinson and Dionne Warwick. An abiding love for musical theater led to a fortuitous meeting with esteemed director John Caird that opened up a whole new career for Gordon. BroadwayWorld caught up with him while he was still in the thick of the rehearsal process for his new show, which can be a very stressful time. In conversation, Gordon appeared surprisingly calm as he chatted about the development of a?oePride and Prejudicea?? and his plans to build new audiences for musical theater.

Every decade has a quintessential musical associated with it: Guys and Dolls for the 30s, Jersey Boys for the 50s. For the 1960's, A Bronx Tale is that musical.

There are few forces more powerful than that of family, friendship, love and home. These forces are mightily strong under the best of circumstances, and become even more central to our existence in times of violence, oppression, and separation. Within the context of 20th century American history, the civil rights movement of the 1960's is probably the pinnacle of violence and oppression; it's this era that acts as the backdrop of 'Detroit '67', which explores the bonds that connect us to both our friends and loved ones, but also the place we call home.

Since creating and starring in In the Heights and Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda has become one of the most influential creators on Broadway. His work has earned him great acclaim and he's collected too many awards to count, including a Pulitzer Prize, an Emmy Award, three Grammy Awards, three Tony Awards and a Kennedy Center Honor.

In The Company of Harold Prince opens September 18, 2019 in the Library's Donald and Mary Oenslager Gallery.

The cast of 'ANNE FRANK, a musical', based on Anne Frank's life will feature 12 artists on stage to recreate Anne Frank's life filled with the touching music and lyrics written by Jean Pierre Hadida. This production marks the U.S Off-Broadway Premiere of this successful French musical which will be performed for the first time in English (adapted by Dylan Hadida). Directed and produced by David Serero, this new Off-Broadway production will take place at the Center for Jewish History (15 West 16th Street New York 10016), originally produced by Francine Disegni for Broadway Mad Production, Simon & Michal Kalfon.

The Broadway community mourns the loss of prolific producer, director, writer, and the individual recipient of the most Tony Awards in multiple categories in history, Harold Prince, who passed away on July 31, 2019 at age 91. To commemorate his life and work, the Committee of Theatre Owners will dim the lights of Broadway theatres in New York for one minute on Wednesday, July 31 at exactly 7:45pm.

When it comes to Tony Award snubbing, there are several artistic high crimes and misdemeanors. For instance, Fiorello! winning Best Musical over Gypsy, or the good Music Man besting the better West Side Story. Or how about this awful upset: Two Gentlemen of Verona (the since-forgotten musical) beating both Grease and Follies for the top honor. Perhaps worst of all is this: Even though A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM was Stephen Sondheim's first and most successful Broadway show as a composer and lyricist, and even though it would win six of its eight nominated Tony Awards in 1962-1963 (including Best Musical), Mr. Sondheim himself was not even nominated for his lyrics and score. A show that features some of the most beloved comic songs from the early 1960's--'Comedy Tonight,' 'Lovely,' and 'Everybody Ought to Have a Maid'--wasn't even nominated for these iconic numbers. (For the record, Oliver! won that year for Best Score.) Broadway's greatest composer would have to wait almost a decade to receive his first Tony Award.

The Broadway community mourns the loss of Writer, Composer, Lyricist, Director, and Performer Martin Charnin, who passed away on July 6, 2019 at age 84. To commemorate his life and work, the Committee of Theatre Owners will dim the lights of the Neil Simon Theatre in New York, where his legendary musical Annie first opened, for one minute on Friday, July 12 at exactly 7:45pm.

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that composer and orchestrator Sid Ramin, best known for his work on West Side Story, has died, according to The New York Times. Ramin was 100 years old.

A Neil Diamond musical is coming to Broadway!

Lovers of new theatre will gather this August for an advance look at tomorrow's hits at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's 2019 New Works Festival at Palo Alto's Lucie Stern Theatre. This unique festival offers audiences an extraordinary opportunity to experience new plays and musicals in their early stages of development, and hear about the creative process in a "Meet the Artists" panel discussion. With multiple performances of each work, playwrights and composers are able to revise and refine their shows during the festival, allowing audiences to view the exciting evolution of brand new pieces of theatre. The popular festival runs August 9 - 18, 2019 at the Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto. Festival passes ($65 general$49 season subscribers) and single event tickets ($20) can be purchased online at theatreworks.org or by calling (650) 463-1960.

The sumptuous and unforgettable romantic musical THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA makes its long-awaited London debut at the Royal Festival Hall, now through 5 July 2019.

This Month, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

We're flashing back through the photo archives of BroadwayWorld's very own Walter McBride to bring you some shots of 2019 Tony nominee Elaine May a decade ago, at the opening night performance of WEST SIDE STORY at the Palace Theatre.

New Executive Artistic Director Susanna Gellert makes her Weston directorial debut with the world's longest-running musical, THE FANTASTICKS (June 20 - July 13 | Weston Playhouse), Tues - Sat 7:30pm; Wed & Sat 2:00pm; Sun 3:00pm.