BWW Flashback: A Helluva Run! ON THE TOWN Closes on Broadway Tonight
By: Jessica Khan Sep. 06, 2015
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The Tony Award nominated revival of On The Town concludes its run on Broadway tonight, September 6, following 28 previews and 368 regular performances, making this the longest-running Broadway production of the show since the 1944 original. ON THE TOWN began previews on September 20, 2014 and officially opened on October 16, 2014 at the Lyric Theatre. To mark tonight's closing, BroadwayWorld takes you back through the musical's run on the Great White Way!
Ballet icon Misty Copeland recently made her Broadway debut as 'Ivy Smith' and will play the role for today's matinee. Original star Megan Fairchild returns for the evening finale.
ON THE TOWN currently stars Tony Yazbeck (Gypsy, A Chorus Line), Jay Armstrong Johnson (The New York Philharmonic's Sweeney Todd, Hands On A Hardbody, Hair), and Clyde Alves (Bullets Over Broadway, Nice Work If You Can Get It) as the sailors on 24-hour shore leave who take on the Big Apple; Misty Copeland (American Ballet Theatre), Alysha Umphress (American Idiot) and Elizabeth Stanley (Company) as the women who steal their hearts; and Jackie Hoffman (Hairspray, Xanadu) in the role of "Madame Dilly". Tony Award winner Michael Rupert (Legally Blonde: The Musical, Ragtime, Falsettos, Sweet Charity) plays "Judge Pitkin" alongside Allison Guinn (Hair) as "Lucy Schmeeler," Tony Award nominee Phillip Boykin (The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess) and Stephen DeRosa (Hairspray, The Nance, Into The Woods).
Rounding out the cast are David Alvarez, Tanya Birl, Angela Brydon, Holly Ann Butler, Peter Chursin, Max Clayton, Kristine Covillo, Lori Ann Ferreri, Ashley Blair Fitzgerald, Paloma Garcia-Lee, Stephen Hanna, Eloise Kropp, Brandon Leffler, Cory Lingner, Skye Mattox, Michael Rosen, Kathryn Terza, Ricky Ubeda, Cody Williams, and Mikey Winslow.
Directed by John Rando (Tony Award winner for URINETOWN) and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse (Emmy Award winner for SMASH), On The Town features eye-popping sets (by Beowulf Boritt), gorgeous costumes (by Jess Goldstein), book & lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and a score by one of America's greatest composers, Leonard Bernstein, performed by the largest orchestra on Broadway. The show is based on an idea by Jerome Robbins.
Also on the creative team are lighting designer Jason Lyons (Bring it On, Rock of Ages), sound designer Kai Harada (Follies, Million Dollar Quartet), hair and makeup design by Leah Loukas (A Night with Janis Joplin, Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike), musical direction by James Moore, and additional material by Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins.
Join three sailors with only 24 hour shore leave in New York as they are swept off their feet by three beautiful New York women for one amazing night On The Town!
Photo by Joan Marcus
Before ON THE TOWN's big opening in New York, New York, the company took the time to galavant around the city, celebrate the show's venue -- the newly named Lyric Theatre -- and unveil its marquee!
ON THE TOWN started previews on September 20, 2014, and BWW got a first look at the cast in action. Scroll down for photos and highlights from the show (all photos by Joan Marcus)!
The musical celebrated its opening night (read the reviews!) at the Lyric Theatre on October 16, 2014. BroadwayWorld was there to capture the cast's first bows, the red carpet, opening night party and more - scroll down for a look!
ON THE TOWN held its Gypsy Robe ceremony just days after it opened, celebrating Jess Leprotto's Broadway debut -- check out pictures of the sacred event below!
Mid-run, the musical had several cast additions, with SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE winner Ricky Ubeda taking the stage and LITTLE DANCER's Tiler Peck appearing for a week-long stint. See photos (by Jennifer Broski) from Ubeda's debut below!
ON THE TOWN was nominated for four 2015 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Tony Yazbeck), Best Choreography (Joshua Bergasse), and Best Direction of a Musical (John Rando). Below, hear what the production's nominees had to say before the big night, plus watch On The Town's show-stopping Tonys performance!
On the heels of being named the first female African-American principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland joined the cast of Broadway's ON THE TOWN last month. Copeland took over the role of 'Ivy' for two weeks, beginning August 25th, and closes out the musical's run at today's matinee performance. Below, watch her perform the Miss Turnstiles Ballet sequence and take her first Broadway bows!
Congrats on one helluva run, ON THE TOWN!
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