Ross Lekites, Evy Ortiz Join Cast of WEST SIDE STORY National Tour

Casting has just been announced for the second year of the national tour of the smash-hit revivAl West SIDE STORY. Star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria will be played by Ross Lekites and Evy Ortiz, respectively. Drew Foster, the tour's original Action, now stars as Riff. Mike Boland, the tour's original Krupke, now stars as Schrank. The tour also welcomes Jon Drake as Action, Wally Dunn as Krupke, Casey Garvin as Diesel, Harris Milgrim as Snowboy, Christopher Rice as Baby John and Clay Thomson as A-rab. Laura Irion, Gizel Jimenez and Eric Anthony Johnson join as new ensemble members.

Continuing with the tour are Michelle Aravena as Anita, German Santiago as Bernardo, Stephen DeRosa as Glad Hand, Alexandra Frohlinger as Anybodys, Jay Garcia as Chino, Nathan Keen as Big Deal, John O'Creagh as Doc, along with Karolina Blonski, Alicia Charles, Lauryn Ciardullo, Dean Andre De Luna, Lori Ann Ferreri, Ryan Ghysels, Tim Hausmann, Nicole Hellman, Thayne Jasperson, Patrick Ortiz, Kristen Paulicelli, Christie Portera, Waldemar Quinones-Villanueva, Alexandra Blake Redelico, Michael Scirrotto, Jeffrey C. Sousa, Dani Spieler, Jessica Swesey, Kathryn Lin Terza and Kirstin Tucker.

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 features scenic designs by James Youmans (Gypsy), costumes by Tony Award nominee David C. Woolard (The Farnsworth Invention, The Who's Tommy), lighting by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Gypsy, Jersey Boys), sound design by Tony Award nominee Dan Moses Schreier (Gypsy, A Catered Affair) and hair by Mark Adam Rampmeyer (The Farnsworth Invention).

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) in his Broadway debut.

WEST SIDE STORY is produced by Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander, Jeffrey Seller with Terry Allen Kramer, Sander Jacobs, Roy Furman / Jill Furman Willis, Robyn Goodman / Walt Grossman, Hal Luftig, Roy Miller and Broadway Across America.

For additional information, visit: http://broadwaywestsidestory.com/