[dropcap]Back[/dropcap]-to-back shows at Lyric Theatre in July mean you have ample excuse to head out and enjoy a show this summer. Disney’s When You Wish and West Side Story hit the stage this month, but not without maximum effort by the team at Lyric.
“We have been preparing for these shows for over a year,” says Michael Baron, the producing artistic director at Lyric. “We cast the best talent from Broadway, cities around the country and right here in Oklahoma with auditions in NYC, Austin and Oklahoma City.”
Disney’s When You Wish, a new show not yet known by the masses, gave Baron and the team mountains of creative liberty.
“The show tells the story of a young girl’s journey into the magical musical world of Disney,” Baron says. “It has only been done once before, at the outdoor Tuacahn Amphitheatre in Utah. I’m excited and thankful that Disney has allowed us to envision the first indoor version of the show, with new sets, costumes, orchestrations and even some new songs, all built right here at Lyric.”
Less unknown is the beloved West Side Story, a show about Romeo and Juliet’s romance, transported to 1950s New York City.
“We have built a stunning new design for the show but have maintained the iconic Jerome Robbin’s choreography and Leonard Bernstein’s genius score,” Baron says.
Disney’s When You Wish runs July 11-15, and West Side Story runs July 25-29, both at Civic Center Music Hall. Visit lyrictheatreokc.org for tickets.
