West Side Story Brings The Mambo To Broadway!

Rita Moreno made history as the first Latina to win an Oscar for "Best Supporting Actress" for her whimsical "I Feel Pretty" vocals and groundbreaking mambo skills in the film "West Side Story," and now the script is shaking its way back to the streets of Broadway.

The modern day Shakespearian production complete with forbidden star-crossed lovers and notorious revivals (Jets vs. Sharks) will be hitting the stage for special performances at the Palace Theatre beginning on February 23th, while opening night is scheduled for March 19th. Producer, Arthur Laurents has officially ended casting calls and has announced the complete cast of estrellas including, Matt Cavenaugh as Tony, Karen Olivo as Anita, and Josefina Scaglione as Maria.

Josefina may sound like a newcomer, but the eye-catching trained opera singer and actress has a larger fan-base than most rookie pop stars. The 21-year-old Argentine won thousands of fan votes on MySpace for her Broadway portrayal, and word is that the caliente entertainer was offered the role by Arthur himself! Perhaps we have a new A-lister in the works...

If you thought the película was priceless, prepare yourself for the police whistles and mambo moves reinventing the colorful drama that is "West Side Story." For tickets visit Ticketmaster.com.

Photos via United Artists

Tags Broadway, Latin Music, Latinas, Musica Latina, Performances, Rita Moreno, West Stide Story