WEST SIDE STORY Heads Into Recording Studio 4/6, Release Set for 6/2

Sony Masterworks proudly announces the upcoming release of the New Broadway Cast Recording of West Side Story. The recording will be available nationwide on June 2, 2009. The official opening of West Side Story, which took place at the Palace Theatre in New York City on Thursday, March 19, 2009, has been greeted with great critical acclaim and sold-out performances. The opening followed a pre-Broadway engagement at The National Theatre in Washington, D.C., where the musical made its original world premiere in 1957.

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. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway's finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as "Something's Coming," "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere."

"The irresistible score, gloriously rendered here, remains a ravishment, with some of the most gorgeous love songs ever. It's hard not to melt into sweet agony," commented Ben Brantley of The New York Times.

"To have the opportunity to produce the new Broadway cast recording of the great American classic West Side Story is truly an honor for Sony Masterworks," said Alex Miller, General Manager and Senior Vice President of Sony Masterworks. "That this revival is so relevant, powerful and electrifying today, after more than half a century, only confirms the greatness of West Side Story, which has been part of our label's history since 1957. The new production and recording, which features a full 30-piece orchestra performing the original orchestrations, will introduce a new generation to the show, and we are proud to be part of it."

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 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.

Directed by multiple Tony Award winner and author of the musical Arthur Laurents, with the original Jerome Robbins choreography restaged 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), hair by Mark Adam Rampmeyer (The Farnsworth Invention) and sound design by Tony Award nominee Dan Moses Schreier (Gypsy, A Catered Affair). The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

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.
RCA Red Seal, Sony Classical, deutsche harmonia mundi, Masterworks Broadway and Masterworks Jazz are labels of Sony Masterworks.

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