On the Town (musical) Totally Explained

Everything about On The Town Musical totally explained

On the Town is a musical with music by Leonard Bernstein and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, based on the 1944 ballet Fancy Free. The musical generated several popular and classic songs, among them "New York, New York", "Lonely Town", "I Can Cook, Too", and "Some Other Time". The story concerns three American sailors on a 24-hour shore leave in New York City during wartime 1944. Each of the three sailors becomes enamoured of a particular woman—and of the city itself. On the Town was first produced on Broadway in 1944 and was made into a film in 1949. The show has enjoyed a number of major revivals. The musical integrates dance into its storytelling: Jerome Robbins choreographed a number of ballets and extended dance sequences for the show, including the "Imaginary Coney Island" ballet.

Background

The Jerome Robbins ballet "Fancy Free" (1944), with music by Leonard Bernstein, was a hit for the American Ballet Theatre, and Oliver Smith (the set designer) and his business partner, Paul Feigay, thought that the ballet could be turned into a Broadway musical. They convinced Robbins and Bernstein, who in turn wanted their friends Comden and Green to write the book and lyrics. When the director George Abbott was added to the project funding was secured, including from the movie studio MGM in return for the film rights.

Productions

Broadway productions On the Town premiered on Broadway at the Adelphi Theater on December 28, 1944, directed by George Abbott and with choreography by Jerome Robbins. It played for a total of 462 performances. The production starred John Battles (Gabey), Cris Alexander (Chip), Nancy Walker (Hildy), Sono Osato (Ivy), Betty Comden (Claire), and Adolph Green (Ozzie).
   The first Broadway revival opened at the Imperial Theatre on October 31, 1971, and ran for 73 performances. Co-starring were Donna McKechnie, Phyllis Newman, and Bernadette Peters as Ivy, Claire, and Hildy. The director and choreographer was Ron Field. Peters received a nomination for the 1972 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
   The second Broadway revival opened on November 19, 1998, and ran for 69 performances. This began as a summer production of the Public Theater; the show made use of its venue, Central Park's Delacorte Theater in beguiling ways that led critics to disparage the subsequent theater-bound Broadway edition as lifeless and bland by comparison. Lea Delaria's performance as Hildy the taxi driver (and especially her all-stops-out rendition of "I Can Cook, Too") won wide praise, but wasn't on its own enough to extend the show's brief run. Mary Testa was nominated for the 1999 Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical; Lea Delaria was nominated for the Drama Desk Award as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical and won the Theatre World Award.
   Although both of the show's Broadway revivals had their admirers, neither was commercially successful.

London The first London production of On the Town opened at the Prince of Wales Theatre on May 30, 1963, and ran for 63 performances. It was directed and choreographed by Joe Layton and starred Elliott Gould and Don McKay.
In 1992, Michael Tilson Thomas led the London Symphony Orchestra and an all-star, crossover cast of opera and theater performers in a semi-staged concert version produced by Deutsche Grammophon and recorded for both CD and video release. Participants included Frederica von Stade, Thomas Hampson, Tyne Daly, Cleo Laine, David Garrison, Samuel Ramey, and, as both narrators and performers, Comden and Green themselves. The resulting recordings included material cut at various stages of the musical's development. Thomas revived this concert edition of the work in 1996 with the San Francisco Symphony, with many of the same performers. On The Town is now part of English National Opera's repertoire, most recently running April 20–May 25, 2007, at the London Coliseum, with Caroline O'Connor as Hildy.

1949 film version

The MGM film opened on December 8, 1949. It starred Gene Kelly as Gabey (who also co-directed with Stanley Donen), Frank Sinatra as Chip, and Jules Munshin as Ozzie, as well as Ann Miller (Claire), Vera-Ellen (Ivy) and Betty Garrett (Hildy).

Plot summary

As three sailors—Gabey, Chip, and Ozzie—begin their shore leave, Gabey falls in love with the picture of "Miss Turnstiles," who is actually Ivy Smith. The sailors race around New York attempting to find her in the brief period they've ("New York, New York").
They are assisted by, and become romantically involved with, two women, and pair up: Ozzie with Claire DeLoone (an anthropologist), Chip with Hildy Esterhazy (an amorous and aggressive taxi driver). Hildy invites Chip to "Come Up to My Place". Claire and Ozzie get "Carried Away" in the museum. But for Gabey it's a "Lonely Town" until he can find Ivy ("Miss Turnstiles"). The group have a number of adventures before their 24-hour leave ends and they must return to their ship to head off to war, and a very uncertain future ("Some Other Time").

Musical numbers

Act I

Overture—Orchestra
I Feel Like I'm Not Out of Bed Yet—Workmen
New York, New York—Ozzie, Chip and Gabey
Miss Turnstiles Ballet (1971 revival)—Contestants, Ivy Smith and Manhattanites
Gabey's Comin (not in 1971 revival)—Gabey
Come Up to My Place—Hildy Esterhazy and Chip
Carried Away—Claire DeLoone, Ozzie, Primitive Man and Primitive Woman
Lonely Town—Gabey and Dance Ensemble
Carnegie Hall Pavane (Do-Do-Re-Do)—Ivy Smith, Madame Maude P. Dilly, and Women of Carnegie Hall
Lucky to Be Me—Gabey and Full Company
I Understand (not in 1971 revival)—Pitkin W. Bridgework
Carried Away Tag
I Can Cook, Too—Hildy Esterhazy
Times Square Ballet—Company
Act II
Entr'acte—Orchestra
So Long, Baby—Diamond Eddie's Girls
I Wish I Was Dead (In English & Spanish)—Diana Dream, Senorita Dolores Dolores
Ya Got Me—Hildy Esterhazy, Claire DeLoone, Ozzie, and Chip
I Understand (Reprise)—Pitkin W. Bridgework and Lucy Schmeeler
Playground of the Rich Ballet (1971 revival)—Gabey, Ivy Smith, and High Society Dancers
Subway Ride (not in 1971 revival)—Gabey and the People of New York
Imaginary Coney Island (not in 1971 revival)—Gabey, Ivy Smith, and Dance Ensemble
Some Other Time—Claire DeLoone, Hildy Esterhazy, Ozzie, and Chip
The Real Coney Island (not in 1971 revival)—Rajah Bimmy
Coney Island Hep Cats (1971)—Flossie, Friend, and Zoot Suit Dancers
I Feel Like I'm Not Out of Bed Yet (Reprise) (not in 1971 revival)
Finale: New York, New York (Reprise)—Full Company

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