"SOMETHING IS COMING.
SOMETHING GOOD.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT."
LYRIC THEATRE, SYDNEY FROM 2 JULY 2010
"THE GREATEST BROADWAY MUSICAL OF ALL TIME" - THE GUARDIAN (UK)
WEST SIDE STORY , one of the most acclaimed musicals of all time, will play strictly limited seasons at the Lyric Theatre, Sydney from 2 July, and the Regent Theatre, Melbourne from 20 August 2010, prior to a National Tour.
The moment the curtain rose on WEST SIDE STORY on Broadway musical theatre was at once changed forever. With groundbreaking choreography by the legendary Jerome Robbins, book by Arthur Laurents, an unforgettable score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, WEST SIDE STORY created a new face for musical theatre. WEST SIDE STORY with its superb musicality and dramatization redefined an entire theatrical genre.
Packed with unforgettable songs including Maria, Tonight, Somewhere, America and I Feel Pretty, WEST SIDE STORY remains a theatrical landmark. The film version went on to win an incredible 10 Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and further cemented the reputation of this undoubted masterpiece.
Based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, two young people meet, fall in love and pledge their eternal loyalty to one another. Their different origins ensure that they are denied a happy future thanks to the intolerance and hatred of antagonistic cultures. Their love is overtaken by fate.
Now 50 years after the musical made its Australian debut, Joey McKneely’s vibrant new stage production arrives in Australia after wild acclaim in Paris, Tokyo, Beijing and London. Joey was personally chosen by Jerome Robbins to reproduce his choreography for WEST SIDE STORY which he has now done throughout the world. On Broadway Joey has substantial directing and choreography credits, having won a number of awards and been nominated for 2 Tony Awards.