Premiere of West Side Story: Musical spectacle in Schwäbisch Hall!

Premiere of West Side Story: Musical spectacle in Schwäbisch Hall!

On June 21, 2025, the acclaimed musical production “West Side Story” will celebrate its premiere on the Grand Staircase in Schwäbisch Hall. This is the start of a series of performances that will last until August 9, 2025. The tickets are already available and can be purchased online on the Schwäbisch Hall Freilichtspiele website or by calling the Tourist Information Schwäbisch Hall (0791) 751600. Additional performance dates include June 22nd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th, July 26th, 27th, 29th, 30th, 31st and August 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th, all at 8:30 p.m.

The story, set in New York in the 1950s, deals with themes of racism, prejudice and violence. At the center are two rival gangs: the Jets, made up of white Americans, and the Sharks, which have members who immigrated from Puerto Rico. The plot comes with a tragic love story between Tony, a former leader of the Jets, and Maria, the sister of the leader of the Sharks, Bernardo. The conflict escalates for the protagonists and has fatal consequences: Bernardo kills Tony's friend Riff, which leads to a fatal confrontation when Tony stabs Bernardo. Mara remains powerless and suffers the loss of Tony, highlighting the underlying themes of the impossibility of communication between groups.

Musical masterpieces and creative direction

The musical highlights of “West Side Story” are unmistakable and include well-known pieces such as “Tonight”, “Maria” and “Somewhere”. The music was written by the legendary Leonard Bernstein, while the lyrics were written by Stephen Sondheim. The production is based on an idea by Jerome Robbins, who directed and choreographed the original Broadway production. The German version is by Frank Thannhäuser and Nico Rabendals.

Heiko Lippmann is responsible for the musical direction of the current performance, while Christian Doll is directing and Kati Farkas is responsible for the choreography. Fabian Lüdicke was responsible for the stage design and the costumes were designed by Kati Kolb. The fight choreography comes from Moritz Fleiter, which gives the production an additional impressive dimension.

The actors

A stellar ensemble cast will bring the characters to life, including:

• Tony: Julian Culemann
• Riff: Simon Staiger
• Maria: Katia Bischoff
• Anita: Amani Robinson
• Bernardo: Malcolm Quinnten Henry
• Chino: Oliver Aagaard-Williams
• Die Besetzung umfasst zudem viele weitere talentierte Darsteller, die die Dynamik der Geschichte eindrucksvoll umsetzen werden.

“West Side Story” is not only a classic of musical literature, but also a timeless reflection on social conflicts and human relationships. The performance in Schwäbisch Hall promises to be an unforgettable experience in which theater, music and emotions merge at the highest level. Information about tickets can be found on the website Schwäbisch Hall open-air theater or in local sales outlets.