West Side Story Comes to the Golden State Theatre
Receiving great reviews at its Fox Theatre advance performances , West Side Story, The Musical, is Coming to the Golden State Theatre on the Weekends of September 5th, 6th, 12th& 13th
September 2015. Monterey, CA. Don’t miss this fabulous theatre experience! The Broadway By The Bay production of West Side Story has garnered outstanding reviews from its performances at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City prior to its upcoming performances in Monterey in September:
“It's must-see theater.” – San Jose Mercury News
“Broadway By the Bay keeps ‘West Side Story’ fresh.” – San Mateo Daily Journal
A high quality production of West Side Story, the multi-award-winning musical with its theme that remains so relevant today that features an unforgettable score, is coming to Monterey. There will be four performances of West Side Story at the Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado, in Downtown Monterey on Saturday, September 5thh at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 6th at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, September 12th at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 13th at 2:00 p.m. Convenient nearby parking is available in several City of Monterey parking garages in addition to street parking.
West Side Story is produced by Broadway By the Bay, a theatrical non-profit 501(c)3 organization that professionally produces award-winning musicals and is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2015. Ticket prices for West Side Story range from $39 - $59. For tickets, go to www.goldenstatetheatre.com or call (831) 649-1070. Group ticket discounts are 10% off for 10 or more and 20% off for 20 or more.
West Side Story is an American musical with a libretto by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and conception and choreography by Jerome Robbins. The story is set in the Upper West Side neighborhood in New York City in the mid-1950s, an ethnic, blue collar neighborhood. The musical explores the rivalry between the Jets, a Caucasian teenage street gang, and the Sharks, a Puerto Rican street gang. The young protagonist, Tony, a former member of the Jets and best friend of the gang leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks, and the idealistic lovers find themselves caught between these two warring street gangs. Their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence and prejudice is heart-wrenching and takes the audience on a journey of self-discovery. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theatre. Arthur Laurents’ book remains as powerful as ever today and the score by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim is widely regarded as one of the best ever written. Songs such as “Maria”, “I Feel Pretty”, Tonight” and “When You’re a Jet” remain famous today from this memorable musical.
Broadway By the Bay has been performing award-winning musicals since 1965 on the San Francisco Peninsula and Monterey Peninsula residents can also enjoy their top theatre fare. “My Fair Lady,” “Anything Goes” and “Les Miserables” by Broadway By the Bay were performed at the Golden State Theatre in Monterey and these musicals received standing ovations and much praise about their high production value, acting and music quality.
More About West Side Story
West Side Story features Samantha Cardenas (Maria), Brendan Quirk (Golden State Theatre run), Zachary Padlo (Riff), Alex Rodriguez (Bernardo), Taylor Jones (Anita).
The creative team includes Amanda Folena (Director), Nicole Helfer (Choreographer), Sean Kana (Musical Director), Kelly James Tighe (Set Designer), Margaret Toomey (Costume Designer), Joe D’Emilio (Lighting Designer), and Jonathan Hayward (Sound Designer).
“Based on Romeo and Juliet’s tragic love story West Side Story is a musical that most people know,” says Director Amanda Folena. “The show thrusts together two young, eager and passionate individuals from different walks of life. Despite the veracity of hatred surrounding them and their situation they disregard all rules and expectations because they are meant to be with each other.”
“This same circumstance is ever present today in the news, media, movies, literature, other theatrical pieces, the list goes on,” remarks Folena. “We are unable to learn from this experience and accept that love defies all boundaries. Regardless of it lasting a day or 50 years, human connection is the life-blood of our existence. Relationships are vast and unique and are rarely defined by the limits of what society expects of us. For Tony and Maria, their devotion to each other is real and actively present. They do not believe that destruction and death will be the ultimate outcome, for if they did, they would never proceed down the path they set in motion. So while we all know how the story ends, we are going to defy the conclusion every step of the way. We want them to succeed and run off into the sunset – it’s what they are fighting for.”
“Every character in West Side Story lives for the moment – they do not regret the past nor do they worry about the future – they fill each second with a fierce energy that only youth can possess. Therefore, the action that takes place never stops. Like a roller coaster that continues to build momentum as it races along each curve and drop, the velocity of this production is an upward spiral. In an effort to change the inevitable, the characters must dance and sing with a passionate ferocity that only love can generate. That’s what Tony and Maria believe and, ultimately, we believe it too.”
About Broadway By the Bay
Broadway By the Bay, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, inspires, educates and engages the community and local talent through the power of musical theatre. Broadway By the Bay was established as San Mateo Community Theatre in 1965. They are the only major musical theatre company between San Francisco and Palo Alto producing large scale musical productions on par with those enjoyed in San Francisco, New York and London. They are committed to producing the highest quality shows while maintaining accessibility to the community through affordable ticket prices. In their 60-year history, they have received numerous awards and countless acclamations, but none as valued and important than the continued patronage by the community. They are the resident musical theatre company of the historic Fox Theatre in downtown Redwood City and the Golden State Theatre, owned by Lori and Eric Lochtefeld.
They recently received 11 TBA (Theatre Bay Area) awards for their productions in 2014. TBA Awards are designed to honor excellence in professionally oriented theatre through a peer-based, Bay Area-wide adjudication process and over 78 Bay Area production companies were evaluated and 183 submitted productions.
About the Golden State Theatre
In 1926, a 15,000 square-foot Moorish castle rose on Alvarado Street, to the amazement of locals and visitors alike. A new cinema and live performance venue to rival those in California's largest cities, the Golden State Theatre , which was built by the Reid Brothers, was the definition of an opulent movie palace. After decades of deterioration, it was faithfully restored to its former glory, featuring an Old World grand lobby and mezzanine, one thousand plush velvet seats, state-of-the-art sound, and the indefinable magic of a truly historic setting. Dana Carvey, B.B. King, Dave Mason, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Yes, Patti Smith, Bob Weir and The Smothers Brothers — these are just some of the names that have graced the stage, contributing to the Theatre's new legacy since its renovation and exciting revival. The community is invited to attend a world-class concert or film festival at the Golden State Theatre, or host their own special event here, and become part of its new chapter of history.
The Golden State Theatre is operated by husband and wife entrepreneurs, Eric and Lori Lochtefeld, along with a team of industry professionals from across the country. They are also co-owners of the Fox Theatre in Redwood City, also built by the Reid Brothers in 1929, where they hold nearly 200 events per year. Through their work with the Fox Theatre and the community, they have helped to revitalize downtown Redwood City. For more information, go to www.goldenstatetheatre.com or call (831) 649-1070.
The Golden State Theatre is located at 417 Alvarado Street in Downtown Monterey and has many more outstanding events coming up in 2015 including performances of Comedian Lisa Lampanelli, (September 18), George Thorogood & The Destroyers (September 23), Elton John: The Early Years (September 24), Wailing’ Jennies (October 15), Jonny Lang (November 6) and more.
To arrange any interviews, please call Wendy Brickman at (831) 633-4444 or email [email protected]. For more information and to be added to their newsletter list, go to www.goldenstatetheatre.com