West Side Story Staring Skylar Astin Cast Grows To 200

Skylar Astin

To see the rival of West Side Story starring Skylar Astin(Spring Awakening, “Pitch Perfect”) you will have to go to Queens. Complete casting has been announced for Carnegie Hall’s large-scale revival, which will be presented March 4-6 at the Knockdown Center, a restored 50,000-square-foot factory located in Queens. The Weill Music Institute presents West Side Story, a work that speaks closely to WMI’s mission of supporting music in the community and around the world. it features professional artists in lead roles and the participation of high school students and community members from around the city.

The cast includes 14 high school students from New York and New Jersey (noted with an asterisk) who are working side-by-side with the professional performers throughout the rehearsal and performance process. Nearly 200 teens from 25 high schools in all five boroughs of New York City will sing new choral arrangements specially created for this production by Thomas Cabaniss.

The cast includes: 18-year-old Morgan Hernandez, currently studying at the Boston Conservatory, who will make her New York debut as Maria. Bianca Marroquín (Chicago, In The Heights) as Anita, Donald Jones, Jr.,Bernardo; Manuel Stark, Riff; Chuck Cooper, Doc/Krupke; Peter Gereky, Schrank; Alex Aquilino, Nibbles; Kaitlyn Benzant, Shark Girl 8*; Angel Blanco, Toro; Olutayo Bosede, Gee-Tar; Kendall Carter, Margarita*; Ariana Crowder, Indio; Karli Dinardo, Graziella; Zack Everhart, Mouthpiece; Emanuel Figueroa, Big Deal*; Hannah Florence, Francisca Alexis Garcia, Clarice*; Fabian Garcia, Tiger*; Sebastian Garcia, Moose*; Damon J. Gillespie, Chino; Reyna Guerra, Pauline*; Anijah Lezama, Estella*; Sam Lips, Action; Alexa Maetta, Anybodys*; Robin Masella, Velma; Raymond Joel Matsamura, A-Rab; Melissa Hunter McCann, Teresita; Dashi Mitchell, Pepe; Emilio Ramos, Baby John; Julian Ramos, Luis; Hallie Richardson, Shark Girl 9*; Sydney Richardson, Jet Girl 9*; Alex Ringler, Diesel; Jillian Schear, Jet Girl 8*; Sherisse Springer, Minnie; Clay Thomsom, Snowboy; James Tolbert, Juano; Martina Viadana, Shark Girl 7*; Jessica Walker, Consuelo; Michelle West, Rosalia; Ricardo Zayas, Anxious; and Daniella Zunic, Jet Girl 7*.

The production will be directed by Amanda Dehnert, and Marin Alsop, a protégé of Leonard Bernstein’s is the musical director and conductor.

Jerome Robbins’ original choreography (reset by Julio Monge), will be joined by new choreography in select parts of the show created by Sean Cheesman (“So You Think You Can Dance”).

Tickets, priced $25-$65, are now available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, or by phoning (212) 247-7800, or by visiting carnegiehall.org. A limited number of $10 student tickets are also available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office only.