West Side Story is one of the most beloved musicals around the world, lauded for its music, choreography and story. The classic show, inspired by Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, with original music by Leonard Bernstein and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, has been reworked for the unique IHI Stage Around Theatre in Toyosu, Tokyo.
This theatre is home to a 360-degree stage with enormous screens that encircle a 1,300-seat rotating auditorium. The staging technology slowly and gently rotates spectators around the stage allowing for an uninterrupted, filmic flow of scenes. The auditorium is set fully in sync with the visuals, lighting and sound to offer the audience an unprecedented immersive experience.
Directed by David Saint, this show will mark the first time a Broadway musical has made use of this innovative staging technology.