Nominated for the Musical Award Best Lighting Design 2026
Photo: WM Creative Agency
THE MUSICAL CLASSIC IS BACK!
38 actors, 15 musicians and spectacular scenery!
After 25 years, a Dutch version of the musical WEST SIDE STORY is finally returning to theaters! An updated version of the unforgettable story of forbidden love, rivalry and prejudice. An iconic story based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet under the smoke of West Side New York in the 1950s.
The heartbreaking story of an impossible love blossoming during a gang war on the streets of New York. In a city full of rivalry and prejudice, the Jets and the Sharks fight for control of their torn apart neighborhood. In the midst of this violence, former member of the Jets Tony and the sister of the Sharks leader Maria meet and fall madly in love. Their forbidden love ignites tension between the gangs, with tragic consequences.
WEST SIDE STORY is an immersive musical full of rousing music, breathtaking dance and a story that keeps touching. With a great live orchestra, the beautiful songs like “Mary,” “Tonight,” and “America” come to life.
This revamped version by De Graaf & Cornelissen Entertainment is showing exclusively in 13 major theaters.
Photo: Danny Kaan, Benno Barends
Moving moving light
Benno used moving lights in his lighting design, which he could often move up and down individually as well. In this way, he could shine at different heights through Eric van der Palen’s immense set. The light thus has its own choreography.
Grand and compelling light
To emphasize the emotion of the piece, Benno chose to create light images with a statement. Grand light images with a clear direction and feeling.
Photo: Danny Kaan, Benno Barends
Cast & Creatives
Director: Paul van Ewijk
Translation: Koen van Dijk
Choreography: Klevis Elmazaj
Assistant choreography: Yannick Plugers
Musical direction: Steven van Gool
Musical supervision: Frank Pappot
Costume design: Cocky van Huijkelom
Set design: Eric van der Palen
Lighting design: Benno Barends
Lighting programmer: Stan van Velzen
Lighting team: V productions
Video design: Anouk Steenbakkers
Sound design: Eric Nelissen
Hairstyling & Visage: Atelier Perru & Kayleigh Schultz
Resident Director: Danny Houtkooper
Producer: De Graaf en Cornelissen Entertainment
Lighting design in the press
Take the song Cool, which becomes a highlight of the performance despite a somewhat old-fashioned translation. With frenzied dance moves and ditto lighting, here the Jets are prepared for the big showdown with the Sharks.
That vibrancy is also in Benno Barends’ clever lighting design. By linking specific colors to the Jets and others to the Sharks, each scene creates its own atmosphere. The alternation between bright blues, reds and greens is a feast for the eyes and helps the audience move into the environment of the story over and over again.
Benno Barends’ lighting design takes the atmosphere of each scene to a higher level.
Benno Barends’ lighting design is, in turn, extremely contemporary. In combination with the smoke, this produces beautiful pictures, not infrequently when he goes for a white streak of descending backlight. Other colors in his palette are traditional: green for jealousy, red for fiery passion but also bloody confrontation.
Eric van der Paalen’s set is impressive, the lighting sleek and the dance, thanks to choreographer Klevis Elmazaj, dazzlingly strong.