Preview: West Side Story at the Mission Theatre, Bath
By Harry Mottram: A treat is in store this week as the emerging actors of the Next Stage Theatre group stage the modern day version of Romeo and Juliet in the Mission Theatre in Bath. Based on the book by Arthur Laurents novel with a collaboration with Jerome Robbins, and with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story is a modern classic musical drama.
In 1961 and 2012 movie versions of the tragic lover story have made the story a global success – but now a concept based on the a conception by Jerome Robbins will see the young performers of Next Stage Theatre will bring the story to life.
The original story is based on young people so it is apt that that this production will involve a vibrant cast of teenagers together with some older actors. With the story transported from Italy with the clash between the Montagues and Capulets in Shakespeare’s play the action moves to New York where the street gangs the Jets and the Sharks clash.
Set in New York City in 1957, the teenage gangs battle to be top dogs in upper West Side with the Jets led by Riff and the Sharks who are Puerto Rican immigrants let by Bernardo. To keep the peace the role of Shakepeare’s The Prince is Lieutenant Schrank and Officer Krupke.
If you know the story of Romeo and Juliet then you will have an idea of the plot but this production has the songs, the dances and the music of the famous musical drama. With songs like Maria, America, Tonight, I feel Pretty and Somewhere it’s a production that is set to entertain and lift the soul as young people come of age on the streets of New York.
The show runs from Tuesday to Saturday, 26-30 September, 2023.
Directed by Ann Ellison this production features Miranda Webb as Maria and Fin Hancorn as Tony as the star-crossed lovers.
The cast and crew are:
Riff ………………. Casper Land
Velma …. Poppy Birch-Langley
Graziella ……… Amelie Hockey
Snowboy …………….. Ed Punt
Anybodys ………. Dara Tiernan
Action ……………… Blake Jéan
Baby John ……… Elodie Baker
Big Deal ………….. Evie Brown
Pauline ……. Juliet Stanbridge
Bernardo ……………. Kes Joffe
Pepe …………. Onno Vervoorst
Indio …………….. Ethan James
Rosalia ………….. Lauren Jéan
Chino ………… George Chivers
Consuelo ……….. Sophia Punt
Teresita ………. Willow Adams
Estella ……….. Elspeth Geddis
Anita …………. Phoebe Bartlett
A-Rab … Malena Agathangelou
Officer Krupke .. Alistair Davey
Lt. Schrank ……… Adrian Jéan
Tony ……………… Fin Hancorn
Maria …………… Miranda Webb
Doc …………………. David Holt
Production Team
Director …………………………………………….. Ann Ellison BEM
Musical Director ……………………………….. Christine Anderson
Stage Manager ………………………………………. Andrew Ellison
Dance Choreographer ………………………… Hayley Fitton-Cook
Fight Choreographer …………………………………. Nicky Wilkins
Set Design and Slides…………………………………… Ann Ellison
Lighting design …………………………………………… Kris Nuttall
Lighting operative ………………………………………. Oscar Legge
Sound and slide operative ………………………. Isabelle Ingledew
Front of House ………… Members of Next Stage and volunteers
Details and tickets at: https://www.missiontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/2023/west-side-story
The theatre published this press release:
West Side Story will be Next Stage Youth Theatre Company’s first full musical. And what a musical! It’s jammed full of some of the most well-known and loved songs of the 20th century such as Tonight, Somewhere, America and One Hand, One Heart. It is cast from our talented youth theatre, so that all parts are appropriately aged and played.
This is a must-see show for all the family. With stunning fight sequences choreographed by Nicky Wilkins and whirling dances from company choreographer Hayley Fitton-Cook. The show is staged in the versatile setting of The Mission Theatre, complete with an atmospheric backdrop of projections that will transport you to downtown New York in the 1950s.
Directed by the company’s Artistic Director Ann Ellison BEM, this entrancing tale of young love and its tragic outcomes stars Fin Hancorn as Tony and Miranda Webb as Maria.
We advise early booking for what will inevitably be a sell-out production. Come along, see the show and realise that: Tonight, tonight the world is wild and bright!
Entire Original Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerome Robbins
Originally Produced on Broadway by Robert E. Griffith and Harold S. Prince
By Arrangement with Roger L. Stevens
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International
All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MTI www.mtishows.co.uk
