Composer

:

Leonard Bernstein

Genre

:

Musical Theatre

Style

:

Musical Theater

Compose Date

:

1944

First Performance

:

1944

Average_duration

:

63:00

Movement_count

:

20

Movement ....

On the Town is a musical composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The plot revolves around three sailors on a 24-hour shore leave in New York City during World War II. The musical premiered on Broadway on December 28, 1944, and ran for 462 performances. The first movement of the musical, "I Feel Like I'm Not Out of Bed Yet," introduces the three sailors, Gabey, Chip, and Ozzie, as they disembark from their ship and set out to explore the city. Gabey becomes infatuated with a poster of a woman named Ivy Smith and sets out to find her. The second movement, "New York, New York," showcases the sailors' excitement and wonder as they explore the city. They visit the Empire State Building, the Museum of Natural History, and other iconic New York landmarks. In the third movement, "Miss Turnstiles Ballet," Gabey and his friends attend a ballet performance featuring Ivy Smith, who is the current Miss Turnstiles. Gabey is smitten with Ivy and sets out to find her. The fourth movement, "Carried Away," features Gabey and Ivy on a romantic date in Coney Island. They ride the roller coaster and confess their love for each other. The fifth movement, "Lonely Town," is a solo by Gabey as he laments the fact that he must leave Ivy and return to his ship. The sixth movement, "Coney Island," features the sailors and their dates enjoying a day at the beach. The mood is light and carefree, but there is an underlying sense of sadness as the sailors must soon return to their duties. The final movement, "Times Square Finale," brings the story to a close as the sailors bid farewell to their dates and return to their ship. Gabey and Ivy share a final kiss before he departs. On the Town was groundbreaking in its use of dance and music to tell a story. Bernstein's score is a mix of classical, jazz, and popular music, and the choreography by Jerome Robbins was innovative and energetic. The musical was also notable for its portrayal of interracial relationships, which was rare for the time. On the Town premiered during a time of great social and political upheaval, and its themes of love, friendship, and adventure resonated with audiences. It has since become a beloved classic of American musical theater.

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