Andy Karl, Laura Osnes, Ali Ewoldt & More Will Perform ON THE TOWN and WEST SIDE STORY with the Boston Pops This Summer

Broadway goes to Boston this summer! The Boston Pops has just announced its spring season, May 9-June 16, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, celebrating the centennial of Leonard Bernstein, one of the greatest international musical figures of the last century.

The Boston Pops 2018 season celebration spotlights Leonard Bernstein's singular contributions as a multifaceted composer for orchestra, Broadway, and film, with concert performances of West Side Story (June 15 & 16), and a semi-staged performance of On The Town (May 31 & June 1), both with star Broadway casts, along with a series of five Leonard Bernstein Centennial Tribute concerts featuring classic selections from Bernstein's scores to Candide, Fancy Free, Wonderful Town, and On the Waterfront (May 11, 12, 17, 29, & 30).

As part of the season-long tribute to Leonard Bernstein, the Boston Pops presents a semi-staged performance of the composer's 1945 musical romance On the Town on May 31 and June 1. Keith Lockhart leads the performance with Tony Award-winning Broadway director and choreographer Kathleen Marshall at the helm of the stage presentation, which will feature a cast of Broadway singers and dancers including Brandon Victor Dixon as Gabey; Andy Karl as Ozzie; Megan Lawrence as Hildy; Laura Osnes as Claire; Georgina Pazcoguin as Ivy; and Christian Dante White as Chip; with Mark Kudisch as Pitkin/First Workman and Andrea Martin as Madame Dilly. Longtime Boston Pops arranger David Chase-known for his wildly popular arrangement of "The Twelve Days of Christmas"-also lends a hand as music director for the program. On the Town was an offshoot of Bernstein's collaboration with choreographer Jerome Robbins on the 1944 ballet Fancy Free, for which Bernstein also wrote the music. The musical, which features such instantly recognizable songs as "New York, New York" follows the whirlwind romances of Three Sailors and their respective love interests over the sailors 24-hour shore leave in New York City.

The Boston Pops 2018 spring season concludes with a concert presentation of Leonard Bernstein's electrifying musical West Side Story. A New York City retelling of Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story was the result of a collaboration between Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Robbins, and Stephen Sondheim-three of reigning artistic geniuses of the 20th century. Opening on Broadway in 1957, the original run of the beloved story of Maria and Tony, the Sharks and the Jets, lasted for 732 New York performances before going on tour. The film adaptation released four years later was a critical and popular success, winning ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture. This concert production will include a cast of Broadway singers, including Ali Ewoldt as Maria, Ross Lekites as Tony, Natalie Cortez as Anita, German Alexander as Bernardo, and John Arthur Greene as Riff, performing such timeless hits as "Tonight," "Maria," "I Feel Pretty," and "America." This production is directed/produced by Chad Hilligus.

The Boston Pops will also perform Bernstein's music on programs throughout the 2018 season, including the opening night program with Andy Grammer (May 9), Best of the Boston Pops with Thomas Wilkins (May 22 & 25), A Broadway Celebration with Sutton Foster (June 6 & 7), and An Evening with Leslie Odom, Jr. (June 12-14).

Tickets for all Boston Pops spring season concerts are available for purchase at 888-266-1200 and www.bostonpops.org.