Culture
Broadway Classic Coming To Athens
< < Back toThe tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of West Side Story is coming to Athens on April 17, being presented by the Ohio University Performing Arts Series at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.
Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction is recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).
West Side Story tells the tale of star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria as they struggle to rise above the hatred and intolerance that surrounds them.
The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway’s finest and features such classics as "Something’s Coming," "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere."
Acording to the Associated Press, West Side Story "remains Broadway’s best dance-driven musical. Five decades have not dimmed the extraordinary choreography or the score that pulsates throughout."
The musical has also received praise from Variety: "The true stars of West Side Story are Jerome Robbins' graceful, endlessly expressive choreography and Leonard Bernstein's score, which still sounds bracingly modern a half-century after it was first heard. The music is a primal force."
West Side Story is written by three theatrical luminaries: two-time Tony Award winner Arthur Laurents (book) and multiple Tony and Grammy Award-winners Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics).
This production features scenic designs by James Youmans, costumes by Tony Award nominee David C. Woolard, lighting by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley and sound design by Peter McBoyle.
Show time is 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $22 to $30 and are on sale now at www.ohio.edu/performingarts.