Initial casting has been announced for The Muny’s upcoming production of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s West Side Story, which will play the outdoor St. Louis venue July 15-21.

Leading the company will be Christian Douglas as Tony, Kanisha Feliciano as Maria, Jerusha Cavazos as Anita, Yurel Echezarreta as Bernardo, Sean Harrison Jones as Riff, and Broadway veteran Ken Page as Doc. Additional casting will be announced.

Rob Ruggiero will direct the epic love story with Jerome Robbins' original choreography reproduced by Parker Esse. The creative team will also include associate choreographer Erin Moore and music director James Moore. 

With a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Bernstein, and lyrics by Sondheim, West Side Story opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre September 26, 1957. It played 732 performances before closing June 27, 1959. Conceived, directed, and choreographed by Robbins, the original cast included Larry Kert as Tony, Carol Lawrence as Maria, and Chita Rivera as Anita. Robbins won the Tony for his choreography, and Oliver Smith took home the prize for Best Scenic Design. It was nominated as Best Musical but lost to The Music Man.

The memorable Bernstein-Sondheim score boasts such tunes as "Tonight," "America," "Maria," "I Feel Pretty," and "Somewhere."

The Telsey Office is the official casting partner for The Muny. 

The Muny’s 2023 season also includes Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (June 12-18), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (June 22-30), Chess (July 5-11), Little Shop of Horrors (July 25-31), Rent (August 4-10), and Sister Act (August 14-20).

Visit Muny.org.