West Side Story Is The Musical Extravaganza You Should Not Miss

Described by UK's press The Times as "The number 1 greatest musical of all time", the latest stage production of West Side Story has got huge shoes to fill.

 

For the unfamililar, the original musical with its intense choreography and unforgettable score burst onto the Broadway stage in 1957. The rest, as they say (and as cliche as it sounds), is history. In light of the many complex issues and sentiments revolving immigration and racism, the musical inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet set amidst the vicious rivalry of teenage gangs in 1950s New York still remains as poignantly pertinent today as it was 60 years ago.

 

 

Following wild acclaim and sold-out seasons around the world, from London to Tokyo and Sydney to Johannesburg, the vibrant new stage production of West Side Story is finally back in Singapore!

The international tour features a demanding score supervised by musical maestro Donald Chan who has conducted over 3,000 performances of West Side Story to date, and the powerful choreography will no doubt keep you entertained from beginning to end. Look out for classic scenes like when Tony waxes lyrical about his love for Maria in her namesake song, when they professes their love for each other in the seminal Broadway duet Tonight, and the beautiful dream sequence of Somewhere.

 

 

Snap along to high energy numbers like Cool, where the gang members are reminded to keep their cool in the presence of law enforcement, and marvel at the immaculate costumes, set, and accents designed to transport you right back to the 50s.

 

More than half a century has gone by since the original musical and its movie adaptation struck a chord with audiences (FYI: the movie was nominated for 11 Oscars and won 10, including Best Picture), and in spite of the decades and time gone by, it's strikingly beautiful that West Side Story's tale of racial discrimination, pure unadulterated love, and a hope and pining for a better future is still so relevant today.

 

This article was written by Ivan Lim