Music Theatre Hour: West Side Story (Highlights), CD

The second title in Jay’s Music Theatre Hour series needs no introduction. In 1957, “West Side Story” with it’s Shakespearean plot (Romeo And Juliet), it’s depiction of contemporary social issues, it’s dazzling score and the new style of dance that accompanied it, the show took Broadway and the West End by storm.

With music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by newcomer Stephen Sondheim, the show ran for 4 years on Broadway and in the West End. It made stars of Sondheim, Carol Lawrence (Maria) and Chita Rivera (Anita), and won 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture, when turned into film with Natalie Wood and George Chakiris. The soundtrack was No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Pop Album Chart for a record 54 weeks!

This highly acclaimed recording is unique in that the cast are so close to the age of the characters they portray. Drawn mainly from the cast of the Leicester Haymarket Theatre’s production, the recording features Paul Manuel, Tinuke Olafimihan (Eliza in TER’s Gramophone Award winning “My Fair Lady”), Caroline O’Connor and Sally Burgess. This TER recording is recorded in digital Dolby Surround and includes the hit songs Tonight, I Feel Pretty, Maria, Somewhere, America.

TRACK LISTING

Prologue / Jet Song
Nicholas Warnford, Male Company, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
Something's Coming
Paul Manuel, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
The Dance At The Gym
Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
Maria
Paul Manuel, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
Tonight (Balcony Scene)
Paul Manuel, Tinuke Olafimihan, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
America
Caroline O'Connor, Nick Ferranti, Girls Company, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
Cool
Nicholas Warnford, Male Company (Jets), Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
One Hand One Heart
Paul Manuel, Tinuke Olafimihan, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
Tonight
Paul Manuel, Caroline O'Connor, Tinuke Olafimihan, Nicholas Warnford, Nick Ferranti, Male Compan
I Feel Pretty
Tinuke Olafimihan, Elinor Stephenson, Nicole Carty, Julie Paton, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sond
Gee, Officer Krupke
Kieran Daniels, Male Company (Jets), Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
A Boy Like That
Tinuke Olafimihan, Caroline O'Connor, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
I Have A Love
Tinuke Olafimihan, Caroline O'Connor, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
Somewhere
Paul Manuel, Tinuke Olafimihan, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
Note: USA release of this title