West Side Story Milton Keynes Theatre Preview
WEST SIDE STORY RETURNS
TO MILTON KEYNES THEATRE STAGE
Direct from a sell-out season at London’s Sadlers Wells and following international critical acclaim, West Side Story, Voted the No 1 ‘greatest musicals of all time’ in the times top 50 musicals 2013, returns to Milton Keynes Theatre for just 2 weeks 03 – 14 Jun.
Leading the cast will be Katie Hall as Mari’, Louis Maskell as Tony, Djalenga Scott as Anita and Jack Wilcox as Riff.
Katie Hall was most recently seen as Christine in the national tour of The Phantom of the Opera. She was a boot camp contestant for the BBC1’s search for Nancy in I’d Do Anything and was a final round contender for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s search for the Eurovision entry, Your Country Needs You, also for BBC1. She has also played Christine in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London and Cosette in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre in the West End, on the 25th Anniversary tour and also at the O2.
Louis Maskell has previously appeared in the national tour of Scrooge -The Musical and Iolanthe at Wilton’s Music Hall. Djalenga Scott has appeared in Chicago in the West End as well as the national tour of Flashdance – The Musical and the European tour of The Rocky Horror Show. Jack Wilcox was most recently seen in Singin’ in the Rain at the West End’s Palace Theatre. His other West End credits include Wicked and Shoes.
The rest of the company includes Bruce Aguilar-Rohan, Charlotte Baptie, Challyce Brogdon, Charlie Cameron, Danielle Cato, Javier Cid, Nicola Coates, Rachel Crocker, Matthew Croke, David Delve, Lisa Dent, Rachel Ensor, Fraser Fraser, Sergio Giacomelli, Jason Griffiths, Matthew Hawksley, Dom Hodson, Liam Paul Jennings, Sinead Kenny, Devon McKenzie Smith, Alex Pinder, Scott Rayner, Nathan Ryles, Sam Salter, Katie Singh, Sergi Terns, Fenia Tsikitikou, Sion Tudor Owen and Niko Wirachman.
This production of West Side Story features the entire original Jerome Robbins choreography. Over Christmas 2012, this production played a completely sold out season at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris, having previously sold out in cities around the world, including Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, Berlin, Madrid, and Beijing. This production was last seen in the UK in 2008/9 when it also sold out for a season at Sadler’s Wells and played to capacity houses throughout a year long UK tour.
West Side Story changed the course of musical theatre when it opened on Broadway in 1957 and it still remains one of the most successful stage shows of all time. The 1961 film version won ten Academy Awards. Based on Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story is set on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and explores the rivalry between two teenage gangs; one white, the other Puerto Rican. When Tony falls in love with Maria, the sister of the rival gang’s leader, the feud takes on a new dimension, and as their love blossoms so begins a fatal journey overshadowed by violence and hatred. The score includes the unforgettable songs ‘Maria’, ‘Tonight’, ‘Somewhere’, ‘America’ and ‘I Feel Pretty’.
West Side Story originally directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, has a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein with Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
This production is directed and choreographed by Joey McKneely using the full original Jerome Robbins choreography. Joey is the former assistant to Jerome Robbins. He has worked extensively on Broadway where his choreography credits include Smokey Joe’s Café (Tony Award nomination) and The Boy From Oz starring Hugh Jackman. His other credits include Hal Prince’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Whistle Down the Wind and Nicholas Hytner’s production of Twelfth Night.
Tickets are available from Milton Keynes Theatre Box Office, 0844 871 7652 (bkg fee), www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes (bkg fee)
LISTINGS
Performances:
Tue3 – Sat 14 June 2014
Mon – Sat Evenings 7.30pm, Matinees Wed, & Sat & Thu 05 Jun – 2.30pm
Tickets:
£15 – £45 (Premium seats also available)
Box Office:
0844 871 7652(bkg fee)
Groups Hotline:
01908 547609
Access Booking:
0844 871 7677 (bkg fee)
Online Booking:
www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes (bkg fee)