'West Side Story' will not reopen on Broadway
The show's producer called it a "difficult and painful decision."
The Broadway lights are permanently going dark for "West Side Story," a contemporary revival of the beloved musical that opened in February of last year.
On Monday, producer Kate Horton confirmed the musical will not return when Broadway reopens.
“It is with great regret that we are announcing today that the 2020 Broadway revival of West Side Story will not reopen," Horton said in a statement obtained by "Good Morning America." "This difficult and painful decision comes after we have explored every possible path to a successful run, and unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, reopening is not a practical proposition."
"We thank all the brilliant, creative artists who brought West Side Story to life at the Broadway Theatre, even for so brief a time, especially the extraordinary acting company, 33 of whom made their Broadway debuts in this production." Horton's statement continued.
Prior to shuttering amid the pandemic, the latest interpretation of "West Side Story" ran for only a handful of performances and previews.
The original "West Side Story," created by Leonard Bernstein in 1957, was revived three other times -- in 1964, 1980 and 2009 -- before its latest iteration, which took the characters into the present.
The 2020 revival cut the famous song "I Feel Pretty" and had the music and choreography lean more heavily on hip-hop and Latin influences.
Despite the musical's cancellation, fans of "West Side Story" will soon be able to see the timeless tale of Tony and Maria in theaters.
The Stephen Spielberg-produced film, starring Rita Moreno, Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort, premieres Dec. 10.
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