Emerson Colonial Theatre Official Blog
On the Town
From December 15 - 23, 1944, the pre-Broadway tryout of the Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green musical ON THE TOWN completed its run at the Colonial Theatre.
Based on Jerome Robbins’ 1944 ballet Fancy Free (which was also composed by Bernstein), ON THE TOWN follows 3 fun-loving sailors making the most of their 24-hour shore leave in New York City. Directed by George Abbott, this was the first pre-Broadway tryout for Bernstein, Comden, Green, and Robbins.
Elinor Hughes, Drama Critic from the Boston Herald, described the show as “a lively, entertaining and almost overpowering youthful and energetic affair. The average age of the performers being somewhere in the middle twenties - and that goes for the authors.” The production carried this energy with it when it transferred to Broadway’s Adelphi Theatre, opening on December 28, 1944 for a run of 462 performances. The show has since had three major Broadway revivals, a 1949 film adaptation, and introduced audiences to the now-famous song “New York, New York.”
Many members of the cast and creative team for ON THE TOWN would later return to the Colonial. The Colonial hosted the pre-Broadway productions of Comden and Green’s DO RE MI in 1960 and ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY in 1973, as well as Bernstein’s operetta CANDIDE in 1956. Director George Abbott would also return in 1947 for the pre-Broadway tryout of BAREFOOT BOY WITH CHEEK.
Photo 1: ON THE TOWN promotional flyer.
Photo 2: The cast of ON THE TOWN. Credit: New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Photo 3: Actress Nancy Walker alongside a program for ON THE TOWN.
Images from The New York Public Library.