West Side Story has returned to Broadway in a new production directed by its two-time Tony Award winning librettist Arthur Laurents.
Karen Olivo, who plays the iconic and passionate "Anita" in "West Side Story", earned a 2009 Tony Award nomination for Best Performance By A Featured Actress In A Musical for her dynamic performance.
Broadway legend Chita Rivera played Anita in the original "West Side Story" in 1957, while Rita Moreno won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in the film version four years later. The talented and inspired Olivo has embraced the emotional history of the role while making it her very own in the beautifully shaped new production.
Karen Olivo made her Broadway debut with RENT. Olivo created the role of Vanessa in the Tony Award winning musical production of In The Heights both on and off Broadway. She was also seen on Broadway in Brooklyn. Olivo is a native of the South Bronx.
BroadwayWorld spoke to Karen about how she first learned of her Tony nomination, the magic of the role and score and the exciting challenge of going from "Washington Heights" to the "West Side" in the hit revival.
BWW: First nomination?
Karen Olivo: Pretty crazy, it is so amazing, it might be a dream!
BWW: How did you hear about being nominated?
KO: Lin-Manuel Miranda read the announcements, so I told him to text me when he knew (laughs). I actually got my managers text before Lin's, so I got it by text message. My husband and I decided to stay asleep for the announcement period and to wake up when I wake up, to wake up into it all. We woke up around 10:30 am. We were just trying to get one of our last good night's of sleep. I was still lying in bed when I got the text so there was no jumping around, but I did immediately call my mom!
BWW: How did you become part of the production?
KO: They put out a call and said ‘You're one of the only people we haven't seen. We know you're not available, I was still in 'Heights', and we know you're happy where you are, but would you come in for the fun of it? And I went in, like you do and I auditioned. It is one of the Holy Grail of parts for a musical theatre actress, so you never really think you're going to get a role like that, but it happened for me, I'm so blessed. 
BWW: Going from the thrills of last year's Tony Awards with IN THE HEIGHTS to being front and center this year with your own nomination, what a wild number of months!
KO: I know right? Insane, a dream! Last year was such a good training camp for me and I watched Lin sort of navigate through the entire season and how he had to have so many hats on and I respect how genuine and sincere he has remained.
BWW: How great that he is able to share with you what this kind of journey is like, this exciting period for you.
KO: He's been calling me a lot asking if i'm ok and all, because he knows what it's like to to be nominated. It's hard for some of us to balance it all, we are just "ourselves", regular people, we can be intimidated and shy so it's great for him to be there in the background.
