The Fugard Theatre's Grand Scale WEST SIDE STORY Returns to Artscape For Final Season in March 2018

The Fugard Theatre's timeless musical production of WEST SIDE STORY returns to the Artscape Theatre Centre in 2018 following two tremendously successful seasons in Cape Town and Johannesburg. A production by Eric Abraham and the Fugard Theatre, WEST SIDE STORY exploded on to the Cape Town stage in the winter of 2015, and owing to overwhelming demand, will return to the Artscape Opera House stage for one final season in South Africa, opening in March 2018.

WEST SIDE STORY is set on the harsh streets of the Upper West Side neighbourhood of New York City in the mid-1950s and is inspired by William Shakespeare's tragic, ageless tale of ROMEO AND JULIET. Rival gangs, the Sharks and the Jets, battle in a turf-war to gain control of the neighbourhood. Tensions rise when Tony, a former member of the Jets and the best friend of the gang's leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks.

This glorious multiple award-winning musical, regarded by many as the best ever written when it first premiered on Broadway in 1957, is based on an original conception of Jerome Robbins and features a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The extended dynamic dance scenes and iconic songs such as "Something's Coming," "Maria," "I Feel Pretty," and "Tonight," all set to Bernstein's magnificent score, make for riveting theatre.

The Fugard Theatre has worked with the finest South African creative talent on this production, bringing together the same award-winning core creative team behind their productions of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, CABARET and FUNNY GIRL. Matthew Wild directs, with Charl-Johan Lingenfelder serving as the musical director and conductor and Louisa Talbot as the choreographer. The production features set design by Conor Murphy, lighting design by Joshua Cutts, costume design by Birrie Le Roux and sound design by Mark Malherbe. With a full orchestra in the pit and an outstanding cast of forty performers, WEST SIDE STORY promises to sweep Capetonians off their feet once again in 2018.

WEST SIDE STORY runs at the Artscape Opera House from 7 March to 1 April for a limited season. When this grand-scale masterpiece first premiered in the Mother City and Johannesburg, it astounded audiences and sold out quickly. It is a production that is not to be missed, and booking early is highly recommended.

Tickets are available through Computicket, Artscape Dial-a-Seat 0214217695 or the Fugard Theatre Box Office on 0214614554.

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