The production will officially open July 24 and play a limited run through Aug. 31.
West Side Story is directed by Joey McKneely, who was in the original cast of Jerome Robbins' Broadway, where he worked with the show's original director and choreographer on re-creating scenes from the show. McKneely is re-creating Robbins' original choreography for the tour; he will also re-create Robbins' work for the upcoming Broadway revival.
Following its run at Sadler's Wells, the production will also embark on a U.K. national tour, with the initial slate of venues to be visited comprising Woking's New Victoria Theatre (Sept. 2-13), Milton Keynes Theatre (Sept. 16-27), Salford's Lowry Theatre (Sept. 30-Oct. 11), New Wimbledon Theatre, London (Oct. 21-Nov. 1), Glasgow's Theatre Royal (Nov. 11-29), Cardiff's Millennium Centre (Jan. 6-17, 2009) and Southampton's Mayflower theatre (Jan. 27-Feb. 7).
West Side Story features a score by Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and a book by Arthur Laurents. The musical opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre Sept. 26, 1957. It played 732 performances before closing June 27, 1959. Conceived, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, the original cast included Larry Kert as Tony, Carol Lawrence as Maria and Chita Rivera as Anita. The classic Bernstein-Sondheim score boasts such tunes as "Tonight," "America," "Maria," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere."
To book tickets for the London run, contact the box office at 0844 412 4300 or visit www.westsidestorytheshow.co.uk.