New York (AFP)
"West Side Story", a revisited version of the famous musical, will not resume its performances when New York theaters reopen, its production announced on Monday, without establishing any link with the Covid-19 pandemic which forced Broadway to lower the curtain for almost a year and a half.
"It is with great regret that we announce today that the 2020 version of West Side Story on Broadway will not be resuming," show producer Kate Horton said in a statement, citing a "difficult and painful decision."
"Unfortunately, for various reasons, taking over is not a realistic solution", she specifies, before thanking the teams who worked "even for such a short time" on the musical.
Edited by Belgian director Ivo van Hove, who had given him an unprecedented makeover, "West Side Story" 21st century version gave pride of place to a much more diverse cast than the initial show and tackled current themes such as than police violence or rape.
This musical had started its performances in February 2020, just one month before the Covid-19 forced the world of American culture to close shop.
The pandemic was not the only obstacle on the road to "West Side Story".
Its lead producer, Scott Rudin, notably had to give way to Kate Horton after bullying accusations surfaced, and one of the main comedians, Amar Ramasar, has been accused of inappropriate behavior dating back to his years in the company. of the New York Ballet Troupe.
Broadway Theaters, which are set to reopen in September, have announced that they will require the public and all crews to be vaccinated by then.
"West Side Story" should nevertheless have the right to a modern version, this time in the cinema, with Steven Spielberg in charge and a theatrical release in December.
© 2021 AFP