With a cast featuring Music Circus audience favorites and Broadway veterans, several of which have performed in the show on Broadway and on tour, West Side Story, the fifth production in the 65th Music Circus season, celebrates Broadway at its greatest. Performances run August 4 through Sunday, August 9 at the Wells Fargo Pavilion. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!
Tickets for West Side Story range from $40-$83 and are available by phone at (916) 557-1999, online at Tickets.com, or in person at the Wells Fargo Pavilion Box Office, 1419 H Street in Sacramento. Evening performances August 4-9 are Tuesday through Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances are Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. For more information, visit SacramentoMusicCircus.com.
In this production of the timeless West Side Story, Tony is played by Justin Matthew Sargent, who performed on Broadway in the title role in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, as well as in Rock of Ages and Bonnie & Clyde. Playing Maria is Carolann M. Sanita, who has performed all over the country in regional theatres and starred in the national tour of The Music Man. German Alexander is returning to Music Circus for his fourth season as Bernardo, a role he played in the national tour of West Side Story. Reprising her role as Anita from the Broadway revival and international tour of West Side Story is Desireé Davar, who was also featured as a dancer in the film "Annie" as well as on the TV show "Glee."
Maria Briggs, who toured in Irving Berlin's White Christmas and performed in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, makes her Music Circus debut this season and will play Anybodys. Coming to Music Circus for the first time after a stretch on Broadway in Cinderella, Michael Callahan will play the role of Action. Michael Dotson, who has appeared in more than 35 Music Circus productions, as well as many regional productions including 42nd Street, The Pajama Game and The Andrews Brothers, will play Glad Hand. Jake DuPree, who danced with two acclaimed contemporary dance companies in New York City, will play Snowboy.
Reprising his national tour role of Chino is Miguel Angel Falcon, who also toured as Paul in A Chorus Line and in 42nd Street. Garett Hawe, playing A-Rab, made his Broadway debut playing Neleus in Mary Poppins and has since appeared in Newsies and Matilda. The role of Lt. Schrank will be played by Broadway veteran Rich Hebert, who was part of the original cast of Sting's new musical, The Last Ship, which played this season on Broadway, and who previously toured in Billy Elliot, including in the 2013 Broadway Sacramento presentation of the show. Reprising his role as Big Deal from the international tour of West Side Story is Adam Lendermon, who also toured nationally in Cats and sang Children of Eden in concert at the John F. Kennedy Center.
Tim McGarrigal, playing Diesel, has toured nationally and internationally in Fosse, Joseph ... Dreamcoat, High School Musical and West Side Story and is currently working towards his M.F.A. in acting at George Washington University. Playing Officer Krupke is David Pierini who is highly active at Sacramento's B Street Theatre and has either acted in, directed or written more than 100 shows.
Making his third appearance on the Music Circus stage as Doc, Gary Lee Reed is a seasoned regional theatre actor who has toured nationally in Godspell and regionally in The Music Man. Shane Rhoades, playing the role of Riff, is an accomplished actor and choreographer, who performed on Broadway in The Boy from Oz and served as associate choreographer for the Broadway production of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The role of Baby John will be played by Andy Richardson, who was a member of the original Broadway casts of Newsies, Gypsy starring Patti LuPone and Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Lauren Boyd has toured in the first national tours of both Wicked and West Side Story and is making her Music Circus debut. Jessica Lee Coffman performed off-Broadway in the title role of All Her Faces: A Portrait of Dusty Springfield and has performed across the country in various regional theatres. Thay Floyd has performed on Broadway in A Christmas Story, The Musical and in the national tour of The Producers. Returning to Music Circus after her 2010 performance in 42nd Street is Sarah Marie Jenkins, who was in the first national tour of Legally Blonde and also toured in Guys & Dolls, Swing! and Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby. Sarah Kay Marchetti performed in the European tour of West Side Story and the national tour of Cats as Victoria, a role which she also played at Music Circus in 2009. Producer of Tweenland, Singing for Seniors and Discoteque with her entertainment company, Naomi Morgan has performed regionally in Rent, Cinderella and West Side Story.
Christopher B. Nachtrab is a dancer with the Sacramento Ballet and has recently been featured in the ballets Peter Pan, The Great Gatsby and Stars & Stripes. Christian Elán Ortiz began his professional career in the Broadway revival of West Side Story, went on to perform the show for two years across Europe and is making his Music Circus debut in this season's production. Christie Portera is making her Music Circus debut after performing as a Jet Girl in the first national and international tour of West Side Story. Returning for her sixth Music Circus season is Lisa Rohinsky, who has appeared on Broadway in Gypsy and in the national tours of Irving Berlin's White Christmas and Hello, Dolly! Christopher Shin was a performer in the closing cast of Mary Poppins on Broadway and was last seen at Music Circus in La Cage aux Folles and The King and I. Selina Verastigui is returning to Music Circus after playing Morales in A Chorus Line last season, a role which she also played in the national tour.
Bob Richard, who has choreographed Broadway, off-Broadway, touring and regional theatre shows, a variety of television specials and a number of Music Circus productions-and who worked with the late choreographer Jerome Robbins and has been involved with West Side Story for years as a performer or choreographer-is directing his first production at Music Circus. Choreographer Diane Laurenson has mounted highly acclaimed productions of West Side Story regionally and was assistant choreographer on the second national tour of Bob Fosse's Dancin'. Craig Barna, the musical director, has been with Music Circus for almost 30 years and has conducted on Broadway, in L.A. and for several prominent stock and regional theaters across the country.
Music Circus is produced under the leadership of Artistic Director Glenn Casale and Executive Producer Scott Klier.California Musical Theatre President and CEO is Richard Lewis.
