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Indoor scenes such as the bridal shop and Maria’s bedroom are whipped onto the stage during carefully timed partial blackouts. Paul Gallis’ giant fire escape sets look sufficiently grand on the vast State Theatre stage. Over and above the thrilling stage talent, the orchestral music is a clear highlight of this season. Conducted by veteran musical supervisor Donald Chan, the music sounds absolutely superb, especially as presented in Matthew Ground’s excellent sound design. While the 2010 season of this production brought 18 musicians to the pit of Melbourne’s Regent Theatre, this time there are a whopping 31 members of Orchestra Victoria playing at each performance. (By contrast, the stark simplicity of the Dream Ballet in the current Sydney season is one of the very few weaknesses of that version.) McKneely’s recreation of the Dream Ballet (“Somewhere”) is a particularly thrilling and affecting sequence. Reflecting the level of musical theatre training available in Australia, the choreography is expertly realised, and is performed with pristine precision. Working with the young cast, McKneely highlights the alternately playful and reckless immaturity of the characters and the utterly senseless tragedy of their plight.
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As excellent as the direction, choreography and performances were in that staging, this current time-honoured production has a clear edge in terms of sheer experience of the creative team, with Joey McKneely tracing his involvement with the show back to original director/choreographer Jerome Robbins personally teaching him the steps. Ranking high in the Top Ten of their very best work, The Production Company’s West Side Storyplayed on this same stage less than four years ago.
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The 2010 Australian tour of this same production introduced performers who remain in the spotlight today from leads Josh Piterman, Julie Lea Goodwin, Rohan Browne and Alinta Chidzey to ensemble members such as Blake Bowden and Monica Swayne. Opera Australia complements their dazzling new outdoor production of West Side Story in Sydney with the return of this traditional staging to Melbourne, differentiating the casting by showcasing a new generation of fresh young triple threats in this (indoor) Australian tour.ĭirector/choreographer Joey McKneely’s staging of West Side Story has been seen around the world and back again over the past fifteen or so years.