'West Side Story' directed by Ivo van Hove will not return to Broadway

The show ran for three months at the Broadway Theatre.

The latest Broadway revival of West Side Story directed by Ivo van Hove will not return to Broadway when theatres reopen. West Side Story began previews at the Broadway Theatre on December 10, 2019, ahead of an opening night on February 20, 2020 and performances to March 11, 2020.

In a statement from producer Kate Horton: "It is with great regret that we are announcing today that the 2020 Broadway revival of West Side Story will not reopen. This difficult and painful decision comes after we have explored every possible path to a successful run, and unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, reopening is not a practical proposition. We thank all the brilliant, creative artists who brought West Side Story to life at the Broadway Theatre, even for so brief a time, especially the extraordinary acting company, 33 of whom made their Broadway debuts in this production."

West Side Story is inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, following two rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks. Tony and Maria fall in love despite their gangs feuding rivalries, and the romance unfolds. West Side Story features songs including "America," "Somewhere" and "I Fell Pretty."

The Broadway cast of West Side Story incldued Shereen Pimentel (as Maria), Isaac Powell (as Tony), Yesenia Ayala (as Anita), Amar Ramasar (as Bernardo), Dharon E. Jones (as Riff), Ahmad Simmons (as Diesel), Danny Wolohan (as Officer Krupke), Jacob Guzman (as Chino), Kevin Csolak (as A-Rab), Matthew Johnson (as Baby John), Elijah A. Carter (as Action), Zuri Noelle Ford (as Anybodys), Daniel Oreskes (as Doc), Pippa Pearthree (as Glad Hand), and Thomas Jay Ryan (as Lt. Schrank).

The West Side Story creative team included scenic and lighting design by Jan Versweyveld, costume design by An d'Huys, sound design by Tom Gibbons and choreography by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker.

In a review of West Side Story on Broadway, Joe Dziemianowicz said: "Call this provocative yet mixed production at the Broadway Theatre wildly visceral, ultra gritty and at times frustratingly at odds with itself. Even with issues, the 2020 vision of West Side Story reveals the durability of the musical, depth and beauty of the songs and the stubbornly evergreen message." 

Details on future shows at the Broadway Theatre are to be confirmed.

^{Photo credit: West Side Story (Photo by Julieta Cervantes / Jan Versweyveld​)}