‘West Side Story’ musical to open July 10 at Milton Theatre

The Milton Theatre announced its production of “West Side Story” will open Thursday, July 10, at 110 Union St., Milton.

With cinematic digital backdrops crafted using the same revolutionary technology as Disney’s “The Mandalorian” and the Star Wars universe, Milton Theatre audiences will experience the classic musical like never before. Local artist Mal Meehan’s fully animated 3D environments will immerse audiences in a living, breathing New York City.

“No other theater in the nation has these images,” said Meehan. “So patrons of the Milton Theatre really are getting a very unique, never-to-be-seen-elsewhere, high-tech experience.”

From the rooftops to the alleys, from fire escapes to stoops, this immersive environment doesn’t just provide a backdrop; it transforms each moment into a cinematic spectacle. And for sharp-eyed theater-goers, Easter eggs from the original 1961 film are hidden throughout the digital neighborhood.

Meehan is originally from the UK and has designed shows in London’s West End. He used Twinmotion, a 3D architectural visualization platform built on Epic Games’ Unreal Engine — the same software suite used in next-gen video games and virtual production. His work renders a richly detailed, 360-degree neighborhood of West 68th Street circa 1958, complete with shifting daylight, gritty textures and seasonal foliage. Six months in the making, the digital set becomes a dynamic character in its own right.

“I set out to re-create the entire neighborhood being torn down to make way for Lincoln Center,” he said. “Every building, every street, every piece of graffiti had to be photo-ready. You can drop a camera anywhere in the model and get a scene.”

Performances continue through Saturday, Aug. 3. To learn more, go to miltontheatre.com.