West Side Story Sets Broadway Closing Date

The Broadway revival of West Side Story will play its final performance on January 2, 2011. The show, which has been gracing the stage of Broadway’s Palace Theatre since February 23, 2009, will close after 27 previews and 748 regular performances.

Josefina Scaglione will play her final performance as Maria on September 19 and Sarah Amengual will assume the role on September 21. Natalie Cortez will continue in the role of Anita for the remainder of the Broadway run. Tony winner Karen Olivo, who has been out of the production due to injury, will not return per her doctor’s orders. Matt Shingledecker will play the role of Tony on Wednesday evenings and Sunday matinees beginning October 13. West Side Story currently stars Matthew Hydzik, Scaglione, Cortez, John Arthur Greene, George Akram and Jeremy Jordan, leading a cast of 48.

The latest incarnation of West Side Story was helmed by librettist Arthur Laurents, and features the original Jerome Robbins choreography, restaged by Joey McKneely. The classic musical about warring street gangs in 1950s New York City is written by three Broadway legends: librettist Laurents, composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Stephen Sondheim.

As previously announced, a national tour of the show will launch in Detroit on September 30.