The New York Film Academy (NYFA) is very excited to share the highly anticipated Steven Spielberg remake of West Side Story, coming to theaters on December 10th, 2021. The film will feature actress, singer, dancer, and NYFA Musical Theatre alum Ilda Mason. Cast as the ‘Sharks’ member Luz, Mason will showcase her professional dance and acting skills to a global audience.
The film was directed by Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Emmy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg, whose work has been named some of the most influential films in movie history (Jaws, Schindler’s List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park). The screenplay adaptation was written by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning writer Tony Kushner. Based on the book and stage play by Arthur Laurents, the 2021 film will feature the original West Side Story (1961 film) star and actress, Rita Moreno.
The film’s anticipated release was met with much acclaim and excitement online. West Side Story became a global sensation when it hit Broadway in 1957. The show was both dazzling and gritty, painting a Romeo and Juliet romance between Tony and Maria over a contemporary story of street gangs, racism, and violence.
When director Robert Wise and choreographer Jerome Robbins adapted it into a film in 1961, West Side Story broke the box office record for musicals and dominated the Oscars, winning 10 awards, including best picture. Six decades later, the stage show has toured the world and been revived repeatedly.
Movie poster for West Side Story (2021)
The actress, dancer, and NYFA alum, Ilda Mason, expressed her excitement on Instagram, captioned in a picture she posted during filming, “This is one of my favorite photos with Ariana and Ana Isabelle. I remember the excitement of rehearsing in costumes, on the street as we would on the day of the shoot, and even today, two years later my heart flutters. I can’t contain my excitement to watch what we’ve all created together. See you in the movie theaters on December 10th!”
Mason has previous experience in the West Side Story production, having performed in Ivo van Hove’s adaption of West Side Story on Broadway in New York City. She also performed in West Side Story productions at both Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, and the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. As a professional dancer, Mason also performed in the Gloria Estefan Broadway musical On Your Feet and production of Legally Blonde in China, along with a national tour of Cinderella as an ensemble member. In Latin America, Mason is known for her stellar performances and dancing for two seasons of Panama’s Dancing with the Stars.
Mason studied with NYFA in 2015 in our 2-Year Conservatory in Musical Theatre. Her extraordinary talent in dance was indicative as a young student. “Ilda was an engaged, focused student and an integral member of the NYFA Musical Theatre community,” says Kristy Cates, NYFA’s Chair of Musical Theatre. “We are all so proud of her many successes and look forward to watching her star continue to rise.”
Ilda Mason (left) on the set of West Side Story (2021) alongside director Steven Spielberg (right)
New York Film Academy congratulates Musical Theatre alum, Ilda Mason, on her recent successes as well as her role in the upcoming Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story coming to theaters soon.
Please note: NYFA does not represent that these are typical or guaranteed career outcomes. The success of our graduates in any chosen professional pathway depends on multiple factors, and the achievements of NYFA alumni are the result of their hard work, perseverance, talent and circumstances.