In March after popular demand, producer and human rights activist Eric Abraham and the Fugard Theatre’s production of West Side Story returned to the Artscape. The American musical has been performed in Cape Town before and audiences raved about the brilliant actors, singers, dancers, music, and sets!
Jerome Robbins – Choreographer
Grant van Stern – Choreographer
Artscape Theatre
Artscape is one of my favorite performing arts venues in Cape Town. The theatre opened in 1971 as the Nico Malan Theatre Centre. It was renamed in 2001 and now belongs to the Western Cape Government.
Officer Krupke and Detective Schrank
The spectacular opera house has an exciting ambiance, including gardens, rehearsal rooms, and a stylish foyer. Over the years, I’ve joined friends there for memorable opera, ballet, musical, and comedy performances! Last night’s brilliant performance didn’t disappoint!
Eric Abraham – Film, Television, Theatre Producer
Stephen Sondheim – Songwriter
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“West Side Story is a musical about cultural differences, racism, forbidden love, revenge, and death.”
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Arthur Laurents – Screenwriter
Plot
Inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story’s timeless plot is set on the “harsh streets of New York City’s Upper West Side in the 1950s”.
Rival street gangs, the Puerto Rican Sharks and Caucasian Jets, battle in a turf-war to gain control of the neighborhood. Tensions rise when Tony, a former member of the Jets and best friend of the leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, leader of the rival Sharks.
Production
American choreographer Jerome Robbins conceived the story in 1957, and playwright and screenwriter Arthur Laurents wrote the West Side Story book. Renowned composer Leonard Bernstein created the musical score with lyrics written by songwriter Stephen Sondheim.
Michael Brenner – Producer
The 1961 film version of West Side Story “won 11 Academy Awards, including best picture, best supporting actor and actress, best director, and best cinematographer”. The film also won a Grammy for best soundtrack. It’s undoubtedly one of the best musicals ever written.
Louisa Talbot – Choreographer
South Africa’s Matthew Wild directs the Artscape production with Charl Johan Lingenfelder as musical director and conductor of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. Louisa Talbot choreographed the production with Grant van Ster as resident choreographer and dance captain.
Charl Johan Lingenfelder – Musical Director and Conductor
In 2018, West Side Story is once again “sweeping Capetonians off their feet”! How could it not with the fabulous Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra performing in the pit and an outstanding cast of forty exceptional performers?
Cast of Characters
Lynelle Kenned plays the role of Maria, a hopeless romantic who falls in love with Tony and finds herself at the center of a violent conflict between the Jets and Sharks. Kenned won the Fleur du Cap Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance. Among her many talents Kenned is a soprano opera singer with a marvelous voice!
The main character Tony – former Jets leader – is torn between his gang friends and love for Maria. The part is played by talented US actor Kevin Hack who has performed the role almost 400 times. Hack recently completed an international tour playing in the 60th anniversary international tour of German producer Michael Brenner’s production of West Side Story.
Matthew Wild – Director
Singer, pianist, violinist, dancer, and actress Bianca Le Grange plays Anita, Maria’s friend and Bernardo’s girlfriend. Daniel Mpilo Richards plays Bernardo, proud leader or the Sharks.
Leonard Bernstein – Composer and Conductor
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“The choreography exudes vibrant waves of emotion from act to act leaving its audience’s heart thumping!”
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Artscape Foyer
Artscape Theatre Centre Cape Town
Artscape Foyer Upper Level Lounge
Sculptures Artscape Entrance
The actors are multi-talented with impressive accomplishments and careers. The beautiful, strong dancers were magnificent!!! Main characters include:
- Lynelle Kenned – Maria, Bernardo’s sister in love with Tony
- Kevin Hack – Tony, former Jets leader in love with Maria
- Bianca Le Grange – Anita, Jet, Bernardo’s girlfriend, Maria’s friend
- Daniel Mpilo Richards – Bernardo, Shark leader, Maria’s brother, Anita’s boyfriend
- Stephen Jubber – Riff, quick-tempered Jets leader
- Sven-Eric Muller – Diesel, Jets second-in-command
- Craig Urbani – Schrank, police detective
- Richard Lothian – Officer Krupke, beat cop
- James Borthwick – Doc, owner of the store where the Jets hang out
- Clint Lesch – Chino, Jet, Maria’s suitor, and friend of Bernardo
- Logan Timbre – Action, quick-‐tempered member of the Jets
West Side Story Artscape Willem Law Photographer
It was an interesting, eclectic crowd attending the performance – an evening of entertainment by extraordinarily talented young artists! Many more than mentioned here helped with production of the musical.
Cape Town International Jazz Festival
Next weekend Artscape hosts the 19th Cape Town International Jazz Festival. The exciting lineup includes Alistair Izobell, Amanda Black, GrazRoots Project, Blinky Bill, Claire Phillips, Miles Mosley, Nduduzo Makhathini, Mabuta, Louis Moholo, and many more outstanding artists!
