Arthur Laurents, writer of the classic novel West side Story is to direct a 2008 revival of the musical specifically for Broadway, according to reports in The New York Post.
Speaking to a reporter for the paper, Laurents commented: "There was a revival in the 1970s that was no good. It was too white-bread. I've come up with a way of doing it that will make it absolutely contemporary without changing a word or a note. And what will annoy you is that I'm not going to tell you what it is."
The original musical played at the Winter Garden Theatre in September 1957 and after 732 performances it closed on June 27, 1959. Since, there have been a number of revivals in 1960, 1964 and 1980.
Set in Manhattan’s Upper West Side in the 1950s, West Side Story is the romantic tale of Anton, a young white American and member of a gang called The Jets and Puerto Rican shop assistant Maria, who happens to be the sister of Bernardo, leader of rival gang, The Sharks. Based loosely around Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the narrative explores the rivalry between two gangs of teenagers from different ethnic backgrounds and touches on a number of social themes that were pertinent at the time it was first written.
With an original score by Bernstein and lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim, the musical has long been a favorite for musical theater lovers the world over. With numbers like, ‘Maria,’ ‘America,’ ‘Somewhere,’ and ‘I Feel Pretty,’ the revival will be a welcome addition to Broadway.
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