West Side Story to close on 2 Jan 2011

Arthur Laurents revival of Sondheim's and Bernstein's West Side Story will conclude its Broadway on run 2 Jan 2010 at the Palace Theatre after playing 27 preview and 748 regular performances.

On 20 Dec 2010, West Side Story will become the longest running incarnation of the musical, surpassing the original production which held the record having played 732 Performances on Broadway.

This production of West Side Story recouped its $14 million investment after 30 weeks (247 performances), Karen Olivo won a 2009 Tony Award for her performance as 'Anita,' and the show's original cast recording won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.

A national touring production launches in Detroit on 30 Sep 2010, going on to cross the country visiting cities including Los Angeles, Orlando, Houston and Atlanta.

The revival of West Side Story is directed by its two-time Tony Award winning librettist Arthur Laurents with the original Jerome Robbins choreography restaged by Joey McKneely.

West Side Story transports the tale of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to the turbulent streets of the Upper West Side in 1950's New York City. Two star-crossed lovers, Tony and Maria, find themselves caught between the rival street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds, the "Jets" and the "Sharks." The musical tells of their struggle to exist together in a world of violence, hate and prejudice.

The musical received mostly good reviews: "It snaps, it crackles, it pops!" (New York Post); "by far the best revival any of us will get in our lifetime. See it and cherish it." (Bloomberg); "it's still a wonderful show" (NewsDay); "as relevant and groundbreaking as the first production" (Back Stage); "this masterwork has been given the revival it deserves" (Variety).

As previously announced 2009 Tony Award nominee Josefina Scaglione will play her final performance as 'Maria,' on 19 Sep 2010 and newcomer Sarah Amengual will be Broadway's new 'Maria' beginning 21 Sep 2010.

Natalie Cortez will continue in the role of 'Anita' for the remainder of the Broadway run (Karen Olivo will not return per doctor's orders) and Matt Shingledecker will play the role of 'Tony' on Wednesday evenings and Sunday matinees beginning 13 Oct 2010.

West Side Story currently stars, Matthew Hydzik, Josefina Scaglione, Natalie Cortez, John Arthur Greene, George Akram and Jeremy Jordan leading a cast of 48.

The musical's creative team features scenic design by James Youmans, costumes by David C. Woolard, lighting by Howell Binkley and sound design by Dan Moses Schreier. The Bernstein and Sondheim score features such classics of the American musical theatre as "Something's Coming," "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere."

The revival is produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander, Jeffrey Seller with Terry Allen Kramer, Sander Jacobs, Freddy DeMann, Roy Furman, Robyn Goodman / Walter Grossman, Hal Luftig, Roy Miller and Broadway Across America.