Behind the scenes at New Wimbledon Theatre's West Side Story (From Your Local Guardian)
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Behind the scenes at New Wimbledon Theatre's West Side Story
10:45am Monday 27th October 2008 in Video news By Kate Finburg
Sofia Escobar stars in West Side Story
With a stage graced by such greats as Noel Coward, Marlene Dietrich and Laurel & Hardy and appearances in The Phantom of the Opera, Tipping the Velvet and my favourite shabby detective series, Jonathan Creek, New Wimbledon Theatre is a star in its own right.
New Wimbledon Theatre facts:
• The theatre stages an annual Christmas Pantomime and between 40 and 50 shows a year.
•40 permanent members of staff are employed by the theatre with lots more casual staff to work in the bars and usher.
•Wimbledon Theatre has 14 dressing rooms.
•When the theatre was built it also housed Turkish Baths, parts of which still exist in the basement of what is now Bar Sia.
•The theatre reaches its 100th birthday in 2010 and Prince Charles has chosen the venue to celebrate his 60th birthday on November 12th with some comic legends including Robin Williams performing!
I was lucky enough to get an access all areas pass to the Grade II listed building and went behind the scenes at its current musical extravaganza - West Side Story!
Watching the cast do a vocal warm up among the seats where usually an excitable audience sit was a frankly surreal experience as was sitting lone in the vast auditorium when they transferred to the stage to limber up for the matinee performance.
I caught up with the show’s star Sofia Escobar in her dressing room as she got her made-up and asked her how she was finding the tour: “I am loving every second, its the first big role that I have owned, I was the understudy in Phantom of the Opera so its the first time I have had the opportunity to develop during the run. I’ve learnt a lot from the wonderful cast and musical director so it's been a fantastic experience.”
West Side Story runs until November 1. Call 0870 060 6646 to book tickets.
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