Header Image by Jeff Busby
Another casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, West Side Story’s planned 2020 season in Brisbane, had to be postponed. As we see other once-cancelled musicals doing now as things get back to some degree of normality, Opera Australia and GWB Entertainment are bringing their production of West Side Story to QPAC’s Lyric Theatre in July. But as the season was discontinued a year ago… there was a question around who would portray whom.
Today, the producers have confirmed the show’s main cast, who will be joined on-stage by the “next generation of musical theatre stars”. The lead cast consists of Sophie Salvesani (Maria), Angelina Thomson (Anita), Nigel Huckle (Tony), Temujin Tera (Bernado), Noah Mullins (Riff), Jade Coutts, Grace Driscoll, Sebastien Golenko and Jake O’Brien.
A modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story tells the tale of two young people whose happiness is destroyed by the hate of two enemy camps in New York City’s urban jungle. The “Jets”, sons of previous immigrants to America, battle the new arrivals from Puerto Rico, the “Sharks”, for domination of the streets.
I haven’t seen a version of West Side Story since a local high school production of it back in 2003… so I am excited to see this show without a gaggle of screaming primary schoolers around me!
Tickets are available for West Side Story from $59.95, and can be purchased from QTIX or by calling them on 136 246.