LOUISE Denison and West Side Story are pretty much tied at the hip.

“Let’s just say it’s the musical I’ve done more than any other in the world, with both adult and youth casts,” says Louise, who is directing the Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim show once more as her fourth Stage Experience youth-theatre summer project at the Grand Opera House, York.

“I’m not at liberty to say just how often I’ve done it,” she adds, nevertheless going on to run through a list that includes Wakefield Theatre Royal Youth Theatre last summer; the West Yorkshire Playhouse; Harrogate Theatre; Leeds Grand Theatre; and beyond Yorkshire at the Swan Theatre in Wycombe.

This time she has a fresh production team in place for bringing the Fifties Broadway spin on Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet to fruition in a fortnight-long project. By her side is a new musical director, Adam Laird, head of creative technologies at Manor School.

“Adam is a very energetic guy, full of life and enthusiasm,” says Louise, whose team also includes assistant director, Mike Bindon, from the same York school, plus new sound technician Neil Muir.

Assessing the abiding appeal of West Side Story, Louise says: “Obviously people are familiar with the story, which I feel always helps as it’s a good start. They know the guts of it from Romeo And Juliet… so it’s a love story and everyone falls for a love story, don’t they, especially one with a tragic ending with tears at the finale.

“And then there is the music, beautiful songs that you can sing along to. So many songs pull at the heart strings, especially those sung by Tony and Maria. They stand alone these songs, whether sung in the show or heard outside it.”

The show’s sheer energy is another appealing factor. “Fortunately the boys in the Jets and Sharks gangs in our production are second to none; they’re so energetic,” says Louise, who is choreographing a cast of 70.

“I’ve learnt from the very first time I choreographed anything that you can’t come in blinkered; you have to work with what you’ve got and I like to think I work to people’s strengths.

“This year we have some great dancers who are working very well together, and some who have never danced before but will nevertheless really bring their scenes to life.”

Louise has cast York school leaver Tilda O’Grady and University of York student Peter Fisher as young, idealistic lovers Maria and Tony, caught up in the conflagration as two streets gangs, the American Jets and Puerto Rican Sharks, fight over turf in New York.

“Tilda has the perfect look, the innocence, the accent and the singing voice,” says Louise. “It was the same with Peter, whose all-American good looks are just right for it. As soon as he turns round, you know he’s Tony.”


Only One Question for…

19-year-old University of York linguistics student Peter Fisher, who is playing Tony in Stage Experience’s production of West Side Story.

What attracted you to taking part in a Stage Experience youth theatre musical for the first time, Peter?

“Musicals were not an alleyway that I was particularly going down, though I was always interested in singing and acting, but mostly separately.

“But then I joined York Stage Musicals for Jesus Christ Superstar at the Grand Opera House in April. They were a few apostles short and Robyn Grant – who I’ve known since I was 13 as we’re both from Leeds – said ‘Why don’t you apply?’ as she was already in the show.

“I ended up playing an apostle and danced properly on stage for the first time. They put me in the dance corps, which could have been a poor decision, but I learnt the routines over a long time and they kept me in.

“Then I saw the chance to do Tony in West Side Story and luckily [director] Louise Denison chose me for it. Playing him is very exciting, the equivalent of Romeo but far less wet.”

• Stage Experience’s West Side Story runs at Grand Opera House, York, from tomorrow until Saturday at 7.30pm nightly plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: 0844 871 3024 or grandoperahouseyork.org.uk