West Side Story Sequel Musical Maria in the Works

Something's coming! Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut has commissioned a sequel to the beloved musical West Side Story, according to Forbes. The in-the-works production is titled Maria and will focus on what happens to the female protagonist after the curtain comes down in the original show. Husband and wife duo Steven Sapp and Mildred Ruiz-Sapp are writing the musical.

“What happened to that young woman, Maria, after she walks out of the park after Tony has been murdered?” Sapp said. “What life does she lead now that she knows hate and murder, and where does her story continue? Interweaving true Puerto Rican narratives, we discover the journey of a starry-eyed Puerto Rican girl through her life’s journey, witnessing what she has experienced and the world she has inspired along the way."

Jacob Padrón, the artistic director of Long Wharf Theatre, added on saying "What is our response specifically as artists of color? What is our response to this piece that one could argue has been culturally appropriated?"

The original Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim-Arthur Laurents musical bowed on Broadway in 1957 and has since had five revivals. It was most recently seen on stage under Ivo van Hove's direction in 2020. A musical film adaptation premiered in 1961 and Steven Spielberg's adaptation is currently playing theaters.

More information on Maria, including casting, is to be announced.