"West Side Story"

May 3-4, & 9-12, at 7:30 p.m.
May 6, 12, 13, at 2 p.m.
Gala Dinner, Performance and After-Party: May 5

North Carolina School of the Arts
Stevens Center, Winston-Salem

June 8, at 8 p.m.
Ravinia Festival, Chicago

Directed by Gerald Freedman
Musical Direction by John Mauceri
Based on a conception of Jerome Robbins   
Entire Original Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerome Robbins

Book by Arthur Laurents, Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Tickets for the NCSA performances and Gala can be purchased by calling the NCSA Box Office at 336-721-1945. Tickets for the Ravinia Festival can be purchased by calling 847-266-5100.

The North Carolina School of the Arts, one of the premier arts conservatories in the United States, will present a new production of "West Side Story" to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the work. NCSA’s production of "West Side Story" will receive its world premiere in a fully staged, Broadway-caliber performance at the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem on May 3.  A special Gala Benefit performance will be presented on May 5. The North Carolina production will continue through May 13, and then extend the run for one performance at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival on June 8. 

"West Side Story" will be directed by NCSA School of Drama Dean Gerald Freedman (above, left), who was assistant director of the original 1957 Broadway production, as conceived by Jerome Robbins, and co-director of the 1980 Broadway revival. As part of the team that created the original Broadway production, Freedman worked closely with "West Side Story" producer Harold Prince, author Arthur Laurents, composer Leonard Bernstein, lyricist Stephen Sondheim, and choreographer and director Jerome Robbins.

The musical director of this 2007 production will be internationally renowned conductor John Mauceri (above, right). Maestro Mauceri, the new chancellor of the North Carolina School of the Arts, worked closely with Leonard Bernstein for 18 years – from 1972 until Bernstein’s death in 1990. At Bernstein’s request, Mauceri edited, supervised, and conducted numerous Bernstein works (many of them premieres) in the major capitals of the world, including New York, Los Angeles, Washington, London, Milan and Tel Aviv.  

Click here for biographies of the "West Side Story" creative team

The "West Side Story" cast, orchestra, and crew will consist of approximately 100 students chosen from all five of NCSA’s professional training schools: Dance, Design and Production, Drama, Filmmaking, and Music. The all-School cast will be led by NCSA students Paul Baswell of Georgia (college sophomore in the School of Music) and Jordan Brown of Kansas (college senior in the School of Drama) as Tony and Katharine Elkington of Iowa (college junior in the School of Drama) and Anna Wood of Mt. Airy, N.C. (college junior in the School of Drama) as Maria. Audiences will experience the stars of tomorrow performing a classic musical production, which engages the nostalgia of the past while remaining relevant to the present.

During the "West Side Story" opening week, on May 5, a symposium in Winston-Salem will feature members of the Bernstein family along with notables from the original 1957 Broadway production. The symposium will be funded by the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts. 

North Carolina School of the Arts all-school musicals, produced only once a decade, have included "Brigadoon," "Oklahoma!" "Kiss Me Kate," and "Canterbury Tales."

* "West Side Story" plays at Chicago's prestigious Ravinia Festival

* Chancellor Mauceri announces NCSA breaks all box office records for "West Side Story"

* "West Side Story" legacy to be discussed at Symposium on May 5

* Tickets available for new NCSA production of "West Side Story"

* Associates of NCSA present free "sneak peek" into the making of "West Side Story," 7-8 p.m. Monday, March 26

* 'West Side Story" Gala celebration planned for May 5 at NCSA

* Distinguished artists lending support to NCSA, Chancellor Mauceri, Deans, for "West Side Story"

* Ravinia Festival in Chicago announces NCSA's new production of "West Side Story" as part of its 2007 season

* NCSA presents new production to celebrate 50th anniversary of "West Side Story"

Michael Callan (Mickey Callin), left, the original Broadway Riff, with Jordan Brown,

one of the two Tonys in the NCSA production.

* at journalnow.com: http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_RelishArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173351105519

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173351089605

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173351067172

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_RelishArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173351067148

* at WXIITV.com: http://www.wxii12.com/video/11084911/index.html?taf=gws

* in Winston-Salem Monthly magazine:

http://winstonsalemmonthly.com/feature_two.html

http://winstonsalemmonthly.com/previous_issues/april07/feature_two.html

http://winstonsalemmonthly.com/previous_issues/february07/feature_two.html

* In Winston-Salem Living magazine:

http://www.winstonsalemliving.com/marapr07web.pdf

* at KudzuGazette.com: http://kudzugazette.com/mar1207/wss.php (NCSA's student newspaper)

* at PlaybillArts.com: http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/6141.html

* at Playbill.com:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/107791.html

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/106284.html

* at Broadwayworld.com:

http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=18024

http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=16399

* at Theatremania.com: http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/10249?

* at Q on Stage.com:

http://www.qonstage.com/QOnStage_articles/WestSideStory/art_tpl_w-437.html

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West Side Story is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).  All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019
Tel.: 212.541.4684                   Fax: 212.397.4684                    www.MTIShows.com
 
Partial support for "West Side Story" is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts,

the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts, the John W. and Anna H. Hanes Foundation,

The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, and the James G. Hanes Memorial Fund.