Stratford Shakespeare Announces 'West Side' and 'Forum'

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario has announced the two musicals for the season, both with roots in the classics, are West Side Story and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

"These two musicals would not exist without William Shakespeare," says Festival artistic director Des McAnuff. "Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim based West Side Story on Shakespeare's masterpiece Romeo and Juliet, and Burt Shevelove, Larry Gelbart and Stephen Sondheim were heavily influenced by Shakespeare's multiple-plot, Plautine farce A Comedy of Errors when writing Forum. There is no question that these two musicals play legitimate roles in the classical theatre repertoire and I am very proud that we are producing them side by side." Mr. McAnuff, director of the Tony Award-winning musical Jersey Boys, will take the helm of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, with choreographer Wayne Cilento. Mr. Cilento and Mr. McAnuff previously teamed up on the hugely successful Broadway productions of The Who's Tommy – for which Mr. McAnuff and Mr. Cilento both won Tonys – and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, which won a Tony for best actor for Matthew Broderick. 

Mr. McAnuff, a two-time Tony winner, also directed the hit Broadway musical Big River, which won seven Tonys, including best director for Mr. McAnuff. Mr. McAnuff's production of Jersey Boys won four Tonys, including best musical of 2006. Mr. McAnuff won a pair of Olivier awards for the London production of Tommy, as well as two Doras for the Toronto production – for outstanding direction and outstanding production of a musical. Mr. Cilento's other Broadway credits include the choreography of Wicked, Sweet Charity and Aida. He was also a performer in the original Broadway production of A Chorus Line.

Never before presented by the Festival, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a wonderfully irreverent musical that combines aspects of the 2,000-year-old comedies of the Roman playwright Plautus with classic vaudeville humour. Forum, which features the hit song "Comedy Tonight", is the story of Pseudolus, a slave in ancient Rome who will do anything to win his freedom. With book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, it is the first Broadway musical for which Stephen Sondheim wrote both music and lyrics. Olivier Award-winner to direct West Side Story Sondheim also wrote the lyrics for the Festival's other 2009 musical, West Side Story, with music by Leonard Bernstein and book by Arthur Laurents.

Mr. McAnuff, who directed the Festival's current production of Romeo and Juliet, and general director Antoni Cimolino are delighted that Gary Griffin will make his Stratford debut as the director of this beloved musical. Mr. Griffin made his Broadway debut directing Oprah Winfrey's production of The Color Purple. His London production of Pacific Overtures received the Olivier Award. For outstanding musical production. Mr. Griffin has received eight Joseph Jefferson Awards for his work in Chicago, where he is associate artistic director of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Produced once before at the Festival, in 1999, West Side Story is set in New York, where two rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, wage a war fuelled by racial intolerance. The production will be choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, who also choreographed the 1999 production at the Festival's Avon Theatre. This time, however, Mr. Trujillo will have the opportunity to produce on the thrust stage as West Side Story will be mounted at the Festival Theatre.

"The Shakespeare musical West Side Story promises to be breathtaking on the legendary Festival stage," says Mr. McAnuff, "just as Forum is ideally suited to the Avon Theatre, the perfect stage for its rollicking slapstick humour." Mr. Trujillo, who is known for his choreography of Jersey Boys on Broadway and in productions around the world, will be collaborating with Mr. McAnuff on a new production of Guys and Dolls set to open on Broadway in the early spring of 2009. His other credits include the European debut of Disney's Tarzan and the London production of Peggy Sue Got Married.

Rick Fox, the Festival's director of music, will serve as musical director of West SideStory. Mr. Fox, who is musical director of the current production of Cabaret, has received four Dora Awards for musical direction. His credits include the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings and the Canadian premieres of We Will Rock You, The Producers, The Lion King, Rent, The Who's Tommy and Phantom of the Opera. His Broadway credits include Blood Brothers and Rent.

"We are thrilled to welcome to the Festival Broadway veteran Wayne Cilento, Chicago's Gary Griffin and my fellow Torontonian Serjio Trujillo – three of the most exciting talents in contemporary musical theatre," says Mr. McAnuff. "I look forward to two vibrant productions when we combine their talents with the genius of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, two of the greatest theatre composers of all time."

For more information including ticket sales and performance schedule plese visit www.stratfordfestival.ca

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