More than six decades after West Side Story first hit Broadway, the acclaimed musical returns to the Australian stage — and to Brisbane's Queensland Performing Arts Centre — this July. And yes, if this sounds familiar, that's because it was meant to do the same at that exact time last year, but we all know how 2020 went.

Headed up by two-time Tony Award nominated choreographer Joey McKneely, the award-winning production reimagines the famous tale of rival street gangs in 1950s New York City. Following the Sharks and the Jets, it's a Romeo and Juliet-style classic that has enchanted audiences in countless iterations over the years.

And now it's set to be retold, taking over the Lyric Theatre between Friday, July 23–Sunday, August 22. The musical will feature all the hit songs — including 'I Feel Pretty', 'A Boy Like That', 'Something's Coming', 'America' and 'Maria' — along with Jerome Robbins' (the Broadway show's original creator) ground-breaking choreography.

Jeff Busby

Top image: Nilz Boehme and Johan Persson.