West Side Story, directed by Arthur Laurents, will arrive on Broadway in early Feb 2009

A casting call reveals that the Broadway revival of West Side Story, to be directed by the show's librettist, Arthur Laurents, will begin previews on Broadway in early Feb 2009, at a theatre to be announced.

Arthur Laurents has recently been nominated for a 2008 Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical for his helmship of Gypsy, starring Patti LuPone as Mama Rose, currently playing at the St James Theatre.

Joey McKneely will recreate Jerome Robbins�s original choreography. (Robbins died in 1998.)

West Side Story had its Broadway premiere in 1957, and was directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins. The production earned Robbins a Tony Award for Best Choreography.

The show was revived on Broadway in 1960, 1964 and 1980. Except for the 1964 revival, which was directed by Gerald Freedman, all previous Broadway productions were directed by Jerome Robbins and featured his original choreography.

The musical will have a pre-Broadway run at The Washington, DC, National Theatre, from 2 Dec 2008 - 4 Jan 2009, before beginning previews on Broadway in Feb 2009.

West Side Story, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Arthur Laurents, is a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, young lovers caught between the cultural tension and violence brewing on the streets of New York City as working-class white youth and Puerto Rican immigrants sought to carve out a turf and identity they could call their own.

The casting call is for the following roles:

Maria: Should look late teens, but must be 16 years old as of October 2008. Maria is a sweet Puerto Rican soprano (to a high C).

Tony: Is a Caucasian baritone with tenor notes (to a high B).

Young female ballet trained dancers:
To play Jet and Shark girls. All should look late teens, but must be 16 years old as of October 2008. All must also sing well. Characters are both Caucasian and Puerto Rican. These are chorus parts.

Young male ballet trained dancers:
To play Jet boys and Shark boys. All should look late teens, but must be 16 years old as of October 2008. Jet boys must also sing well. Characters are both Caucasian and Puerto Rican. There are a mix of principals roles and others chorus parts.