Complete Cast Announced for On the Town at Encores!
The complete cast has been announced for On the Town, the opening production of New York City Center’s 2008-09 Encores! season. Written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green with a score by Leonard Bernstein, the production will be part of The Best of All Possible Worlds, a city-wide celebration of Leonard Bernstein's 90th birthday. Directed by John Rando, performances will run November 19 through 23, with choreography by Warren Carlyle and music direction by Todd Ellison.
Cast as the three sailors who find romance while on shore leave in the Big Apple are Justin Bohon as Chip, Christian Borle as Ozzie and Tony Yazbeck as Gabey. Playing their romantic counterparts are Jessica Lee Goldyn Ivy, Leslie Kritzer as Hildy Esterhazy and Jennifer Laura Thompson as Claire DeLoone. Rounding out the cast are Michael Cumpsty as Pitkin W. Bridgework, Andrea Martin as Madame P. Dilly and Julyana Soelistyo as Lucy Schmeeler.
Rounding the ensemble are Andrea Beasom, Kristine Bendul, Tanya Birl, Angie Canuel, John Carroll, Rachel Coloff, Michael Cusumano, Susan Derry, Emilee Dupre, Autumn Hurlbert, Ryan Jackson, Mary MacLeod, Monica L. Patton, Adam Perry, Steve Schepis, Geno Segers, Charlie Sutton, Kevin Vortmann, Price Waldman, J.D. Webster and Ashley Yeater.
The first Broadway musical penned by the Comden-Green team, On the Town was inspired by Robbins’ 1944 ballet, “Fancy Free.” Although much of his original choreography has been lost, Robbins restaged three numbers for Jerome Robbins’ Broadway in 1989. Carlyle will reproduce the original choreography for three numbers: “New York, New York,” “Ya Got Me,” and “Times Square Ballet.” Scott Wise, who won a Tony Award for his performance in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, will assist Mr. Carlyle in reconstructing the choreography.
The creative team includes scenic designer John Lee Beatty, costume design by Martin Pakledinaz, lighting design Clifton Taylor and sound design by Tom Morse.
The original Broadway production of On the Town opened at the Adelphi Theatre on December 28, 1944, directed by George Abbott and starring Nancy Walker, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It closed after 462 performances, and has since been revived at the Imperial Theatre in 1971 and the Gershwin Theatre in 1998. Songs from the show include “New York, New York,” “Some Other Time,” and “I Can Cook, Too.”
