WEST SIDE STORY Visits Letterman on Late Show 3/12

The cast of Broadway's West Side Story will perform "America" on Late Show with David Letterman on Thursday, March 12, 2009. Late Show airs at 11:35pm on WCBS channel 2 in the tri-state area.

West Side Story has returned to Broadway as it began preview performances, Monday, February 23, 2009, in a new production directed by its two-time Tony Award winning librettist Arthur Laurents.

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

Two hours prior to each performance of West Side Story at the Palace Theatre, patrons will be invited to enter a lottery drawing for a limited number of $26.50 tickets to that day's performance. Names will be drawn at random 2 hours prior to curtain. There will be a limit of two tickets per person and tickets may be purchased using cash only. The lottery seats will be in the first row of the orchestra section. Winners must be present with valid identification at the time of the drawing to purchase their tickets.

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: During previews - Monday through Saturday at 8 p.m., Wednesday and Saturday at 2 p.m. Beginning March 23 - 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.

David Letterman marks his 25th year in late night comedy on Feb. 1, 2007, and this year also marks his 14th year as the host of the LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN on CBS. After more than 4,500 late night broadcasts, he remains one of the most influential personalities in the history of television. Other than the late Johnny Carson, who hosted "The Tonight Show" for 30 years, no late night host comes near Letterman in longevity, critical praise and award recognition. Often imitated but never matched, Letterman presents, night after night, an unpredictable hour of innovative comedy.

Photo by Joan Marcus