A fresh take on 'West Side Story'

Guest director Gabriel Barre says he and his cast and team are "holding hands with the past" in bringing the classic "West Side Story" to the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre stage.

"We're trying to make it as fresh as we can, but not denying the basic essence of the show and much of the original choreography," Barre said during a quick telephone interview before heading back into a "tech" rehearsal.

The New York City-based director (and sometimes actor) said that both he and guest choreographer Jennifer Paulson Lee are pleased that Pioneer Theatre Company artistic director Charles Morey "was interested in another take" on the musical, and it's been rewarding for the two of them to be involved with the production.

Barre and Lee have worked together before, including on some revivals at the Goodspeed Opera House, but this is the first time either of them has done "West Side Story."

"We appreciate Chuck's confidence in us, and he's been so open to a somewhat fresh approach to the show. So much of what we're doing is our own and fun and new, but we're still keeping this audience of 2005 in mind as we retell the story," he said. "I don't believe in making arbitrary changes, and I think the audience will be completely satisfied.

"There's a reason this is a classic piece of theater," Barre said, noting that Lee had worked a few years ago with the show's original choreographer — Jerome Robbins — on a concert version of several of his works.

Barre noted that PTC resident scenery designer George Maxwell's approach to the scenic elements is also fresh.

"We're keeping it as elemental as possible, conveying the various locations by moving the scenery around on wheels. The scenery 'dances' as well, with the cast manipulating the scenery while telling the story," he explained.

Barre also noted that it's been an interesting show to cast.

"More than two-thirds of the cast have done the show before, some multiple times. But we're not just remounting the original production, although there are many, many nods to that as well," he said.

It's not being updated; it is still set in the mid-1950s.

Half of the 30-member cast comes from New York and the other half is local, including Richard Mathews as Doc, Max Robinson as Schrank and Richard Scott as Officer Krupke.