American Ballet Theatre's Misty Copeland Begins Performances in On the Town on Broadway

Misty Copeland starts performances in On the Town on August 25, stepping in for Georgina Pazcoguin as Ivy Smith in the revival. Copeland is making her Broadway debut in the tuner, which is set to shutter when her limited engagement at the Lyric Theatre ends on September 6.

Copeland became the first African-American prima ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre earlier this summer. Named as one of this year's 100 most influential people in the world by Time, her recent ballet credits include Coppélia, La Bayadère, Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet.

First seen on Broadway in 1944, On the Town features music by Leonard Bernstein and a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It follows the adventures of three sailors on leave in New York City. Based on the ballet Fancy Free by Jerome Robbins, the musical's toe-tapping numbers include “New York, New York,” “I Can Cook Too,” “Lonely Town” and “Some Other Time.”

The new production, directed by John Rando, also currently stars Tony Yazbeck as Gabey, Jay Armstrong Johnson as Chip, Clyde Alves as Ozzie, Alysha Umphress as Hildy, Elizabeth Stanley as Claire, Jackie Hoffman as Madame Dilly, Michael Rupert as Judge Pitkin and Allison Guinn as Lucy Schmeeler.