Norwich theatre company Mixed Voice is preparing to bring the musical West Side Story to the city.

The show is to be the company's most ambitious to date, and it will open at Norwich Playhouse on August 23.

Inspired by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and set in the mid-1950s, the classic Bernstein and Sondheim musical explores the rivalry between the Sharks and the Jets, two New York street gangs.

Mixed Voice has high standards and aims to rival the standard of London's West End. To bring this show to the stage it has brought together a professional creative team to lead the cast.

Producer Anna Goode said: 'This is a massive undertaking for us, with a cast of 30 performers and a large band playing one of the most complex musical theatre scores ever written. We have put together an incredible professional creative team from across the country, meaning that our performers are not just rehearsing, they are also receiving some pretty impressive training in the process.'

The show will be the fourth full-scale musical with Mixed Voice for director Holly Graham, a professional singer and singing teacher whose career has taken her across Europe, meanwhile London-based choreographer Rhiannon Hopkins graduated in Bodywork at Cambridge Performing Arts where she excelled in jazz and contemporary styles and was named choreographer of the year. Musical director Matt Brown enjoyed an extensive musical career in the Army before undertaking a teaching career in Norfolk and then moving to Manchester to study for a masters degree in Music Performance. Costume designer Martin Frost has worked for the likes of Disney, Cirque du Soliel and Cambridge Arts Theatre.

Anna Goode said: 'We are so very lucky to have brought together such an impressive team, meaning that this production is going to be something very special for Norwich. From the choreography to the costumes, from the live band to the incredible bespoke set being made locally, West Side Story is going to be our biggest and most spectacular show yet.'

West Side Story is at Norwich Playhouse from August 23 to 27. Tickets £19.50 (concessions £18). To book, visit www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk or call 01603 598598.

For more about Mixed Voice, visit www.mixedvoice.co.uk