WEST SIDE STORY Star Matt Cavenaugh Featured in NEXT Mag

Broadway's favorite leading man Matt Cavenaugh, currently starring as the lovestruck Tony in the current acclaimed revival of West Side Story at the Palace Theater spoke with NEXT magazine for its current issue.

Cavenaugh addressed the issue of being "blessed with a great set of abs" to the weekly publication, even joking about his propensity for shirtless scenes in his recent stage turns, "Before I go in and audition, I say, ‘You know my track record,' and they say, ‘Don't worry, we'll work a way in to take off your shirt,'" he teases. To read the entire interview click here.

Matt Cavenaugh's previous Broadway credits include Grey Gardens, playing both Joe Kennedy Jr. and Jerry (the Marble Faun), and A Catered Affair. Matt made his Broadway debut as Bud in the musical version of the film, URBAN COWBOY. National Tour: THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE. Selected Regional credits: The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival, George Street Playhouse, Denver Center, Goodspeed, CLO, TUTS. TV: "AS THE WORLD TURNS," "ONE LIFE TO LIVE." Film: "SEXUAL DEPENDENCY," "NEW BROOKLYN." Original cast recordings include Grey Gardens, A Catered Affair. Ithaca College graduate.

West Side Story has returned to Broadway in a new production directed by its two-time Tony Award winning librettist Arthur Laurents.

West Side Story opened at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway) on Thursday, March 19, 2009. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is restaged by Tony Award nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

The cast of 46 stars Matt Cavenaugh (A Catered Affair, Grey Gardens) as "Tony," Karen Olivo (In the Heights) as "Anita," Cody Green (Movin' Out) as "Riff" and George Akram (The Farrelly's Stuck on You) as "Bernardo." The role of "Maria" is be played by Broadway newcomer Josefina Scaglione. The 21 year old actress comes directly, by special arrangement with Actors' Equity Association, from Buenos Aires after an exhaustive international search for the role. West Side Story also features Steve Bassett as "Lt. Schrank," Mike Cannon as "Snowboy," Kyle Coffman as "A-Rab," Joey Haro as "Chino," Eric Hatch as "Big Deal," Curtis Holbrook as "Action," Michael Mastro as "Glad Hand," Lee Sellars as "Krupke," Tro Shaw as "Anybodys," Ryan Steele as "Baby John" and Greg Vinkler as "Doc" along with Nicholas Barasch, Kyle Brenn, Joshua Buscher, Isaac Calpito, Haley Carlucci, Peter Chursin, Madeline Cintron, Lindsay Dunn, Yurel Echezarreta, John Arthur Greene, Manuel Herrera, Matthew Hydzik, Marina Lazzaretto, Chase Madigan, Yanira Marin, Mileyka Mateo, Kaitlin Mesh, Angelina Mullins, Kat Nejat, Christian Elán Ortiz, Pamela Otterson, Danielle Polanco, Sam Rogers, Michael Rosen, Amy Ryerson, Jennifer Sanchez, Manuel Santos, Michaeljon Slinger, Tanairi Sade Vazquez and Mark Zimmerman.

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 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), hair by Mark Adam Rampmeyer (The Farnsworth Invention) and sound design by Tony Award nominee Dan Moses Schreier (Gypsy, A Catered Affair).

West Side Story is produced by Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander, Jeffrey Seller with Terry Allen Kramer, Sander Jacobs, Roy Furman / Jill Furman Willis, Freddy DeMann, Robyn Goodman / Walt Grossman, Hal Luftig, Roy Miller, The Weinstein Company and Broadway Across America.

Tickets for West Side Story at Broadway's Palace Theatre are currently on sale at www.tickemaster.com, by calling 212-307-4100 or visiting the Palace Theatre box office. The playing schedule is as follows: - Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday - Saturday at 8 p.m., Wednesday and Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Ticket prices are $121.50 - 46.50.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.