Cameron seeking to direct teens

Director Glenn Cameron is looking for a cast of at least 30 singing, dancing teenagers for this year's Royal Wanganui Opera House production of the much loved American musical West Side Story.

Auditions are this weekend, and there's an information evening about the show tonight at the Amdram Theatre in Guyton St.

West Side Story is essentially a Romeo and Juliet saga set in the mean streets of 1950s New York, Mr Cameron said.

It's about love, war and death among two teenage gangs in the broken back alleys.

The Sharks are Puerto Rican teenagers. Warring with them for territory are the Jets - white, working-class kids. Then Maria, the sister of the Sharks' leader, falls in love with Tony from the Jets. The stage is set for tragedy.

"I think it's got a lot of drive and a lot of passion," Mr Cameron said.

West Side Story was put together in the 1950s. It was the concept of Jerome Robbins, with words from Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and song lyrics from Stephen Sondheim. It was a Broadway musical in 1957 and a movie in 1961, and has been revived many times since then. Well known songs include Maria, I Feel Pretty, America and Tonight.

It's an ambitious production but Mr Cameron is up for the challenge. It will be his fourth Royal Wanganui Opera House show, with his last being Les Miserables in 2009. He said directing was his passion.

"That's what I love the most. If I can create, that's the biggest buzz that I have ever got."

He will have help. Errol Christiansen is the musical director and Mark Glastonbury will be in charge of the dancing.

There's a cast of 60 needed, with up to 36 teenagers, four adult roles and 10 to 15 adult extras. The opera house is booked for performances from July 27 to August 5. He can't change the words or music, but Mr Cameron will be using a revolving stage and has ideas about how to make the show more modern.

"It will be along the lines of what kids are doing now, stuff that I see, what teenagers are doing out there on the street."

He's in the 10th year of his theatre career and this will be his 41st show. That theatre career really happened by chance. In 1984, Mr Cameron was a 24-year-old leather grader. Then he had a serious back accident that turned his life upside down. He had to learn to walk again. Instead of sitting on the couch and feeling depressed, he went back to secondary school and studied music at Year 12 level. After that, someone dared him to have a go at theatre. He took it on for a $50 bet - and the rest is history.

"David Smiles got hold of me and started giving me lessons and said I was a natural."

Mr Cameron now directs as a part-time job, not only in Wanganui and Marton but as far afield as Tauranga. He's currently directing Are You Being Served? at the Repertory Theatre.

West Side Story information night tonight at 8pm, at the Amdram Theatre in Wanganui's Guyton St. Auditions at the theatre on Saturday and Sunday, from 10am to 4pm. Bookings are essential - ring Beryl on 343 5040, text 027 4729 112 or email beryl.momu@gmail.com.