Douglas Peruski is at long last going to trod
the boards in a production of West Side Story.
The Duluth, Georgia actor has been cast in a
new production of the celebrated musical, in what he calls an off-off-off
Broadway production. Appearing in the Jerome Robbins play, a re-telling of
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, will be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for
Douglas Peruski.
What he really wanted was to be cast in the
role of Tony, one of the star-crossed lovers at the center of the story. And
that is the role that Douglas Peruski auditioned
for. He says he was thrilled to get a callback for another audition, but
disappointed to learn he was not in the running to be Tony. “But I’m in,” he
says. “I’m in a production of West Side Story!”
He will be playing the role of Diesel, one of
the members of the Jets street gang. “I’ve even got a song!” he says with
enthusiasm. “You know that song, ‘Cool’? That’s Diesel’s song.” Douglas Peruski
sang some of the song’s lyrics to demonstrate. “Boy, boy – crazy boy – stay
cool, boy...Breeze it, buzz it, easy does it; keep coolly cool, boy!”
Douglas Peruski says he has spent most of his
life preparing for an appearance in West Side Story, and hopes that maybe one
day he’ll still be able to play Tony. But for now he is delighted to be playing
Diesel. In addition to studying acting and the Theatre at the University of
Georgia, he has been taking private singing and dancing lessons for many years.
“I’m ready, Eddie,” he smiles.
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