On the Town

On the Town is a musical with music by Leonard Bernstein and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It premiered on Broadway at the Adelphi Theater on December 28, 1944. On the Town was directed by George Abbott with choreography by Jerome Robbins. The musical played a total of 462 performances, and has been revived on Broadway twice, in 1971 and 1998. The original production starred John Battles, Cris Alexander, Nancy Walker, Sono Osato, and Comden and Green.

Related Topics:
Musical - Leonard Bernstein - Book - Lyrics - Betty Comden - Adolph Green - Broadway - Adelphi Theater - December 28 - 1944 - George Abbott - Choreography - Jerome Robbins - 1971 - 1998 - John Battles - Cris Alexander - Nancy Walker - Sono Osato

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The musical is admired by many for its extensive use of dance in its storytelling (Robbins choreographed a number of ballets and extended dance sequences for the show, including the now-famous "Imaginary Coney Island" ballet). The story concerns three U.S. sailors on a 24-hour shore leave in New York City. Each of the three sailors becomes enamored of a particular woman — and New York city itself — and has a number of adventures before their brief period of time ends and they must return to their ship to head off to war, and a very uncertain future.

Related Topics:
Dance - Ballet - U.S. sailors - Shore leave - New York City - Ship - War

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The show was filmed in 1949, though many changes in script and score were made from the original stage version. It starred Gene Kelly (who also co-directed with Stanley Donen), Frank Sinatra and Jules Munchin, as well as Ann Miller, Vera-Ellen and Betty Garrett. It goes on record as the first movie to ever be filmed partly on location, as a result of Gene Kelly's insistence that they shoot some scenes in the city itself. The movie was an instant success for M-G-M's "Freed Unit", which went on to produce many more popular musicals into the 1950s.

Related Topics:
1949 - Gene Kelly - Stanley Donen - Frank Sinatra - Jules Munchin - Ann Miller - Vera-Ellen - Betty Garrett

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~