Leighton Park School’s Stellar Production of ‘West Side Story’ Earns Rave Reviews

Leighton Park School seniors production of the iconic musical ‘West Side Story’ enthralled audiences with its timeless tale of love and conflict last week. Showcasing the immense talent and commitment of Leighton Park’s students and staff, the production ran from 6th- 9th February earning multiple rave reviews.

“We were bowled over with the calibre of the production, which was hugely impressive and of real West End calibre!” remarked Nick Armitage, Head of Rupert House, Henley. Luissa Galloso, Head of English and Drama at St Piran’s, Maidenhead, exclaimed: “The performance of West Side Story was simply stunning. I was enthralled by the creativity, inspiration and sheer talent of all the performers. Everyone worked incredibly hard to bring the stage and characters to life”

Visiting families likened the performance to that of the West End, with one parent declaring:” The quality of performance, attention to detail and choreography was way beyond expectations. [My child] totally felt she was at the West End.” Another audience member described the production as “mindblowing!”

Inspired by Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘West Side Story’ transports audiences to the streets of 1950s New York City. Rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, battle for control of their turf. Amidst the tension and violence, Tony, a former member of the Jets, falls deeply in love with Maria, sister of the Sharks’ leader. Their forbidden romance ignites a violent chain of passionate events that ultimately lead to tragedy.

In the spotlight as Maria and Tony were Eliza Rincon (Lower Sixth) and Aidan McCarthy (Upper Sixth), who shared their reflections on the exhilarating show. Brimming with enthusiasm, Eliza expressed her delight: “West Side Story is one of my favourite musicals. I enjoy the soundtrack so much, so it was a joy to be cast as the lead. I really enjoyed preparing for the role, especially as my granny is Spanish. She really helped to develop my accent for the production. Bringing the show together at the dress rehearsal was amazing. The tech crew are so slick and the orchestra are absolutely brilliant. There is so much talent in all areas of the production”.

Aidan, in his debut theatrical endeavour, spoke passionately about the camaraderie that flourished among the cast. He remarked: “Everyone in the production built closer bonds while working together. It made it much easier to get into our roles and mean what we were acting. It was my first time ever being in a play, and it was definitely a learning curve. But, my main takeaway was I met a lot of people who I hadn’t spoken to much before. We built friendships and I built my confidence through this acting experience”.

Peter Scoggins, Head of Drama, commented “I simply love this musical performed by young people. The music, the book and the lyrics are, of course, genius. But, when creating West Side Story with actors the same age as the characters there is a special feeling that creeps in. I am so proud that the cast and crew were ready to fulfil their vision for the show. They really stood up to the challenge. We have worked together as a community to meet that challenge”.

Peter also referenced Leighton Park’s choreographer, Beth Butler, as “a genius” due to “being able to create work for advanced dancers and for novices that blend together seamlessly to create such an impact, it’s simply an amazing example of ‘Dance for All’”. Furthermore, the orchestra, conducted by Head of Music, Rosemary Scales, added depth and emotion to every scene with their flawless renditions of the show’s memorable score and well-known songs such as ‘I Feel Pretty’ and ‘Tonight’. Comprised of a dedicated ensemble of musicians from across the Leighton Park community, their execution created an immersive auditory experience for the audience their passion for their craft enhanced the magic of the performance, earning them lauding comments from opening night attendee’s, such as “faultless” and “nothing short of phenomenal”.

Editor’s Notes:

Leighton Park has received several recent accolades. It won the Senior School of the Year in the Independent Schools Association Awards 2023. It was also a Finalist for Independent School of the Year in the TES Awards 2023. The most recent UK Government analysis shows that the school’s Sixth Form leavers achieved the best academic progress in Berkshire, while the Independent Schools Inspectorate awarded it excellent in all areas in January 2022 – the highest possible attainment for an independent school.

The School was recognised as a national leader for Pupil Personal Development in 2022, winning the Independent Schools Association (ISA) Award for Excellence in this area. In the same, year the School gained the Wellbeing Award for Schools, accredited by the National Children’s Bureau.

Leighton Park School is a day and boarding school for 11-18 year olds in Reading, Berkshire. For more information please see: www.leightonpark.com

Images of the West Side Story school production:

The Jets versus The Sharks
Maria and Tony meet on the balcony
The Sharks during ‘America’
The Jets singing ‘Officer Krupke’

For press enquiries: Please contact: marketing@leightonpark.com