On The Town was a hit in 1944 but the ’59, ‘71 and ‘98 revivals flopped. Audiences remember the song New York, New York, but resist the blend of high and low comedy. The current production has fared better and received a Tony nomination for best revival.
"In social terms, the most fascinating aspect of ''On the
Town'' today is that its women are the active romantic partners, a mirror of
changing sexual roles in the war years." ~ New York Times, 1998
“On the Town” traffics in two kinds of exaggerations, that
of the earthy, even dirty cartoon and of the gossamer romance of poets. This
reflects the bi-cultural nature of Robbins and Bernstein, who belonged equally
to Broadway and the concert hall." ~ New York Times, 2014.
Best dance music in Broadway history. Better even than West Side Story.
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