Temperature rises in West Side Story
PERFORMER Josh Piterman, star of the Australian revival of the hit musical West Side Story, is drawing on his Jewish heritage for the role.
PERFORMER Josh Piterman, star of the Australian revival of the hit musical West Side Story, is tapping into his Jewish identity to appreciate the musical’s themes and issues.
Playing the lead role of Tony is quite a coup for the Melbourne singer, who at 24 is headlining his first major musical production.
After completing a season of West Side Story at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre, he is looking forward to the Melbourne premiere at the Regent Theatre on August 22.
The musical is based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and the story of the two star-crossed lovers is brought to life on the streets of New York’s Upper West Side in the 1950s.
A highlight is the energetic dancing of the gang warfare between the Jets and the Sharks.
Piterman admits that the issues of racism add to the intensity of the production.
“We’re all dealing with some tough emotional stuff, like love, and also extreme hatred, fear and racism,” he says.
“But being a Jew, I’ve dealt with racism, as have others in the cast, so we’re all accessing personal stuff to deal with our performances.”
Piterman stars alongside 22-year-old soprano Julie Goodwin as his love interest, Maria. She has been singing professionally for many years and recently completed a season on the Phantom of the Opera Australasian tour.
This production of West Side Story will continue its national tour after the Melbourne season finishes in late September, with a season in Perth in October and Brisbane in November.
Piterman is used to being on the road, after spending almost two years touring with pop-opera act The Ten Tenors.
Earlier this year, he performed alongside Geoffrey Rush in the Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of The Drowsy Chaperone.
“The Ten Tenors trained me vocally to play Tony, but in this show not only do I have to sing classically, I also have to fall in love, kill my brother, break down emotionally, and face my own death … the highs and lows are like nothing I’ve ever done.”
When Piterman was signed for West Side Story, he travelled to New York to explore parts of the city that are featured in the musical in order to aid his interpretation of the role.
“I researched parts of New York that I thought would help me get into the zone … now when the fight happens under the bridge, I know where that is,” he says.
He admits that the classic Romeo and Juliet balcony scene is one of his favourites because it echoes a kind of love that everyone longs to feel.
As for keeping fit and healthy, Piterman admits to being a bit of a “gym junkie”, getting up at 7am to go to the gym and do yoga.
“I also eat really well, I try to keep some sort of balance, which is part and parcel of every gig … I haven’t had a carb since 1962,” Piterman jokes, as he admits to “pigging out” every so often.
West Side Story is being staged at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne from August 19 to September 26. Bookings: www.ticketek.com.au.
CASSILEE KAHN
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