STAGE Experience director and choreographer Louise Denison was unaware of the full story when she cast Ria Williams and Scott Goncalves as Maria and Tony, the lovers across the gangland-divide, in West Side Story.

"We're going out," reveals Ria, 18, in a break from rehearsals at the Grand Opera House, York. "It started after we were in Les Miserables [School Edition] together, when I played Cosette and Scott was Jean Valean in the York Light Youth show last November, and it's funny how things have now worked out. Louise didn't know anything about it at the audition; I don't think anyone did, so we must have convinced them we were right for the roles."York Press:

Ria Williams, who plays Maria. Picture: Nigel Holland

Ria, who first attended classes at Kirkham Henry Performing Arts in Malton when aged three, had to convince more than Loiuse before she landed the role of Maria. "She's the role I've wanted to do forever and I knew Stage Experience were doing West Side Story this summer, but my parents had booked a holiday in Murcia, which meant I would have been out in Spain for three weeks, clashing with the show," says the Malton School leaver, who is to read History at Queen Mary University of London from this autumn.

What did Ria do, when faced by such a dilemma? "I went out to Spain for only ten days in the end," she said, having already been to Corfu on a "relatively quiet" girly holiday with five friends this summer. "It was two days off, then out to Murcia," but she needed a persuasive tongue to ensure her early exit from the family holiday.

Her father had said she should go on the full holiday, as it was already booked; her sister Olivia reckoned she "definitely shouldn't do that". Her mother initially felt Ria probably should go on the complete trip, but Ria made one last pitch. "I got up at seven on the day of the audition and said to my mum, 'please can I do it', and she said, 'you really want to do this, don't you, so if you get Maria, you can do it'. So the promise was there and nothing was going to stop me."

Ria duly was picked for Maria, cast to play opposite 19-year-old Scott. "It's helpful that we've worked together before, and I'm now really loving doing this show."

York Press:

Scott Goncalves, who plays Tony. Picture: Nigel Holland

For Scott, the two-week Stage Experience summer school will be the third time he he has appeared in Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's musical story of ill-fated young love, thwarted by two warring gangs in New York, the Jets and Sharks.

"Tony is the role I've been wanting to do for a long time," says Scott, who is studying musical theatre for two years at York College. "I did Louise's first production of the show for Stage Experience four years ago, when I was a little Shark, so I've progressed since then! Last year, I played Riff in The Manor School production in The Hive, and doing those two productions made me realise Tony was the one I really wanted to play. When I heard Stage Experience were doing it again, I knew I had to go for it."

Now comes the joy of performing a long-cherished role. ""! love Tony's scenes with Maria, I love the rumble," says Scott.

"One thing I've always loved with Tony is his songs; the style of Bernstein's music is so different from anything else. To be part of this show, singing Maria, singing that song...there's no pressure there, then!"

Stage Experience presents West Side Story, Grand Opera House, York, tonight to Saturday. Box office: 0844 871 3024 or atgtickets.com/york

 

Did you know?

Scott Goncalves's surname is of Portuguese origins.