Florida Repertory Theatre’s 2021-2022 season continues with the modern American classic West Side Story.
Presented as a co-production with the Education Department’s Conservatory Program, the cast features longtime Florida Rep ensemble members, professional guest artists from New York, the theatre’s 2021-2022 Professional Acting Interns, and some of the Conservatory’s brightest rising stars.
Previews for West Side Story begin Nov. 23, and the musical runs through Dec. 15 in the Historic Arcade Theatre.
Tickets starting at $59/$55 are available online at www.FloridaRep.org and through the box office at 239-332-4488 for $59 and $55. Preview tickets are $39/$35. The show can also be purchased as part of any 2021-2022 Season subscription series, and packages for 6, 7, 8, and 9 shows start as low as $224.
“This musical is one of the most beloved American classics, and we are so excited to bring it to the stage in time to celebrate its 60th anniversary,” said artistic director Greg Longenhagen. “This unprecedented co-production with our Conservatory Program is a wonderful learning opportunity for our area’s young performers. ‘West Side Story’ is the perfect vehicle to showcase our ensemble, interns, and our Conservatory students together in one production, and the co-production also allows Florida Rep to assemble the largest cast we’ve had onstage in our history. This will be one of the most thrilling experiences you’ve ever had in the Arcade Theatre!”
West Side Story features a book by Arthur Laurents, a score by Leonard Bernstein, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and is a modern retelling of the “Romeo and Juliet” story. In this Broadway musical masterpiece, the iconic music, and dance transport the timeless story of star-crossed lovers to the backstreets of New York in 1957. Tony and Maria are teenagers from opposing gangs who fall in love, but a deep rivalry threatens to keep them apart.
Florida Rep’s production is anchored by New York-based professional actors Diego Guevara, Michael Marotta, Zach Schanne, Maria Cristina Posada Slye, and Rebbekah Vega-Romero, as well as Florida Rep Ensemble Members, David Breitbarth and William McNulty.
The cast features the 2021-2022 Acting Intern Company: Emma Badger, Yul Carrión, Joe Collins, Skyler Shields, Ryan Reyes, Missy Tucker, and Alexis Yard. In addition to the Intern Company, the cast includes a number of former interns and guest artists from New York and the local community, including Patrick Agonito, Nayda Marie Baez, Zeke Bocklage, Cantrella Canady, Sarah Joyce, and Sean Rodrigo Royal.
The Conservatory students in the cast are Madie Barker, Athena Rose Belis, Chase A. Clark, Kayla Clements, Matthew Eakins, Sophie Elizabeth, Sophia Gurule, Keehnon Jackson, Brice Kingsley, Alex Leeds, Paige Lewandrowski, Emily Longoria, Chloe Lowman, Naomi Medina, Heros Oliveira, Nicholas Salerno, Sommer Senne, Michael G. Shelley, Brett Shields, Lorelai Vega, and Scotty Wells.
Florida Rep education director Kody C Jones, makes his Florida Rep professional season debut directing the production, but is no stranger to working on Florida Rep’s stages. In the Conservatory program, Jones has helmed Conservatory productions of Disney’s Newsies, “pring Awakening, A Chorus Line, the world premiere of Bulletproof Backpack, and many more. Jones is joined by an expert creative team, including musical director Rosalind Metcalf (Into the Woods), choreographer Curtis Holbrook (performer in Broadway’s Spongebob Musical), set designer David Arsenault (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder), costume designer Kim Griffin, lighting designer Tyler M. Perry (An Inspector Calls), sound designer Adam Trummel (Florida Rep debut), stage manager Casey Hagwood (Florida Rep debut), assistant director Christina DeCarlo (Conservatory director, “Matilda”), and assistant stage managers Gianna Carter and Zoey Massie (Florida Rep debuts).
Performances are Tuesday – Saturday at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 p.m., and 8 p.m. for the opening night gala performance on Friday, Nov. 26. There are no performances on Thanksgiving Day.
Florida Rep’s parking lot opens 2 hours before each performance and offers guests free parking across the street from the Arcade Theatre.
Florida Repertory Theatre performs in the Historic Arcade Theatre and the ArtStage Studio Theatre on Bay St. between Jackson & Hendry with free parking in the Fort Myers River District. Visit Florida Rep online at FloridaRep.org, and by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
