AS THE world celebrates Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday, Stage One Youth Theatre offers West Side Story as a tribute to his genius as the composer of one of the finest of Broadway Musicals ever written.

This vibrant and well established theatre group bring the show to the stage at Ferneham Hall, Fareham from tomorrow til Saturday.

West Side Story gave birth to one of the American Musical Theatre’s most enduring and beloved musical tales of young love and tragedy, based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Setting this story in New York City of the 1950’s instead of Verona, Italy of the 1500’s, this electric work ushered in a new style of music and dance that changed the face of American Theatre. Opening 60 years ago in 1957, West Side Story still creates electricity that is rarely felt in other musical presentations.

Ethan Emery plays the part of Tony, his fourth leading role with Stage One having previously played Fagin in the production of Oliver!. Sian Samways is Maria in her 14th and last show.

She says: “I have found playing Maria challenging but a lot of fun and I’m very grateful for being given the part. Her best role was Blousey Brown in Bugsy Malone, for which she won the Best Actress in a Youth Production in the Curtain Call awards.