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87-491: Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz ; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his numerous stage productions were On the Town , Peter Pan , High Button Shoes , The King and I , The Pajama Game , Bells Are Ringing , West Side Story , Gypsy , and Fiddler on

174-480: A Peabody Award the same year. Robbins was born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz in the Jewish Maternity Hospital at 270 East Broadway on Manhattan's Lower East Side – a neighborhood populated by many immigrants. He was the son of Lena Robbins (née Rips) and Harry Rabinowitz (1887-1977). He had an older sister, Sonia (1912-2004). The Rabinowitz family lived in a large apartment house at 51 East 97th Street at

261-697: A ballet about intolerance. At New York City Ballet Robbins distinguished himself immediately as both dancer and choreographer. He was noted for his performances in Balanchine's 1929 "The Prodigal Son" (revived expressly for him), Til Eulenspiegel, and (with Tanaquil LeClercq) Bouree Fantasque, as well as for his own ballets, such as Age of Anxiety, The Cage, Afternoon of a Faun, and The Concert, in all of which LeClercq played leading roles. He continued working on Broadway, as well as, staging dances for Irving Berlin 's Call Me Madam , starring Ethel Merman , Rodgers and Hammerstein 's The King and I , in which he created

348-491: A citywide celebration of Leonard Bernstein's 90th birthday. John Rando was the director, Warren Carlyle the choreographer, with a cast that featured Justin Bohon (Chip), Christian Borle (Ozzie), Tony Yazbeck (Gabey), Jessica Lee Goldyn (Ivy), Leslie Kritzer (Hildy Esterhazy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Claire De Loone), and Andrea Martin (Madame P. Dilly). In reviewing this production, Charles Isherwood wrote: "The production

435-540: A cold, intrudes. Hildy finally gets rid of her by convincing her to go to an air-cooled movie. Hildy seduces Chip, bragging about her many talents, not the least of which is her cooking ("I Can Cook Too"). Gabey's attitude has done a full 180, and he feels "Lucky to Be Me." Ivy, about to meet Gabey at Nedick's, runs into Madame Dilly, who reminds her that if she does not do her cooch dance that night, she will be fired, and will not be able to pay Madame Dilly for her lessons. Madame Dilly threatens to smear her reputation, and she

522-506: A dance demonstrating the nightlife of the city. At Diamond Eddie's, the dancers perform a number ("So Long Baby"). Gabey is still hung up on Miss Turnstiles, and Lucy has not shown up yet. A singer, Diana Dream, performs a very sad song, "I Wish I Was Dead," which causes Gabey to feel even sadder. Lucy calls, having accidentally gone to the Diamond Eddie's in Yonkers. The group decides to go to

609-485: A dinosaur. Waldo Figment, the professor who built the dinosaur, joins Uperman, the cop, and the lady in the chase. Gabey mopes around the city. Without love, New York is nothing but a " Lonely Town ." At Carnegie Hall, Ivy Smith is taking lessons from Madame Dilly, a drunk who clearly does not know vocal training. Ivy is not quite as glamorous as the Miss Turnstiles contest has made her out to be. In reality, while she

696-586: A few years after they had been blacklisted . Robbins shared the Academy Award for Best Director with Robert Wise for the film version of West Side Story (1961). Robbins was only the second director to win the Academy Award for Best Director for a film debut (after Delbert Mann for Marty ). That same year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored him with a special Academy Honorary Award for his choreographic achievements on film. In all, he

783-600: A former dancer with ABT, serves as the school's artistic director. ABT Studio Company, formerly known as ABT II, is a small company of 12 young dancers, ranging from ages 16 to 20, handpicked by ABT. It is the top level of the American Ballet Theatre training ladder and is currently an extension of the ABT JKO school. These dancers are trained in the program to join ABT's main company or other leading professional companies, and

870-586: A meeting, reminding Claire that they are to meet at Diamond Eddie's to celebrate their engagement. The two take advantage of their alone time ("Carried Away (reprise)"). Hildy brings Chip and an armful of groceries back to her apartment, promising to cook for him. Chip insists that he must leave to find Ivy. She tells him to call the IRT , but they refuse to give Chip her address or phone number. He decides that he has tried hard enough, and he and Hildy attempt to get physical when her roommate, Lucy Schmeeler, home from work with

957-753: A member of Sandor's company Robbins made his stage debut with the Yiddish Art Theater , in a small role in The Brothers Ashkenazi . In 1937 Robbins made the first of many appearances as a dancer at Camp Tamiment , a resort in the Poconos known for its weekly Broadway-style revues; and he began dancing in the choruses of Broadway shows, including Great Lady and Keep Off the Grass , both choreographed by George Balanchine . Robbins had also begun creating dances for Tamiment's Revues, some of them comic (featuring

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1044-420: A prize for "some really greatly outstanding person or art institution. The prizes should "lean toward the arts of dance..." The first two Jerome Robbins Awards were bestowed in 2003 to New York City Ballet and to lighting designer Jennifer Tipton . On the Town (musical) On the Town was first produced on Broadway in 1944 and was made into a film in 1949, although the film replaced all but four of

1131-508: A request to sing. Hildy, as well as Ozzie, Claire, and Chip try to lift Gabey's spirits by reminding him that he can count on them ("Ya Got Me"). As they are about to depart for another nightclub, the Slam Bang Club, Pitkin arrives ("I Understand (reprise)"). Claire tells him once again to pay the check, also to wait for Lucy and come to the Slam Bang later. At the Slam Bang Club, Madame Dilly

1218-603: A revival of Bertolt Brecht 's Mother Courage and Her Children . Robbins was still highly sought after as a show doctor. He took over the direction of two troubled productions during this period and helped turn them into successes. In 1962, he saved A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), a musical farce starring Zero Mostel , Jack Gilford , David Burns , and John Carradine . The production, with book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart , and score by Stephen Sondheim ,

1305-836: A solo, Ms. DeLaria makes an obliging captive of anyone watching her." Mary Testa was nominated for the 1999 Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical; Lea Delaria was nominated for the Drama Desk Award as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical and won the Theatre World Award . A Broadway revival opened at the Lyric Theatre on September 20, 2014, in previews, and officially on October 16, directed by John Rando with choreography by Joshua Bergasse. The cast featured Jay Armstrong Johnson (Chip), Tony Yazbeck (Gabey) and Clyde Alves (Ozzie), and Megan Fairchild (Ivy), Alysha Umphress (Hildy), and Elizabeth Stanley (Claire) as

1392-441: A year for financial reasons, and to pursue dance full-time. He joined the company of Senya Gluck Sandor, a leading exponent of expressionistic modern dance; it was Sandor who recommended that he change his name to Robbins. Sandor also encouraged him to take ballet, which he did with Ella Daganova; in addition he studied Spanish dancing with Helen Veola; Asian dance with Yeichi Nimura; and dance composition with Bessie Schonberg . While

1479-648: Is billed as the biggest dance musical ever staged at the theatre. A semi-staged concert version was performed at the Royal Albert Hall , London, as part of the 2018 Proms , on 25 August, the exact centenary of Bernstein's birth. The London Symphony Orchestra was conducted by John Wilson . The MGM film opened on December 8, 1949. It starred Gene Kelly as Gabey (who also co-directed with Stanley Donen ), Frank Sinatra as Chip, and Jules Munshin as Ozzie, as well as Ann Miller (Claire), Vera-Ellen (Ivy) and Betty Garrett (Hildy). The film dispensed with many of

1566-478: Is excited to see all the sights that his father told him about after his trip to New York in 1934, with his decade-old guidebook by his side. Ozzie is interested in finding a date (or several) because Manhattan women are the prettiest in the world. Gabey is looking for one special girl, hopefully, one who reminds him of his 7th-grade girlfriend, Minnie Finchley. On the subway, the three spot a poster of Ivy Smith, " Miss Turnstiles " for June. Gabey, overcome with love for

1653-416: Is forced to stand Gabey up. Chip and Ozzie both arrive at Nedick's with Hildy and Claire, both dressed as Ivy Smith. Gabey is not fooled and tells them the story of how he met her. Just then, Madame Dilly arrives with a message from Ivy: she will not be coming because she instead elected to go to a fancy party. Gabey is alone and dejected, but Hildy tells him that she can get him a date: Lucy. The five go into

1740-466: Is found asleep in her cab by her irate boss S. Uperman. He fires her and tells her to return the cab in an hour or he will call the police. Looking for one last fare, she comes across Chip. It is love at first sight, at least for Hildy. She forcefully kisses Chip, but Chip wants nothing more than to find Ivy. Hildy tempts him into taking a tour of the city, but all the places he wants to go ( the Hippodrome ,

1827-422: Is in a drunken stupor. Gabey asks her where Ivy is, and she lets it slip that she is at Coney Island . Gabey runs off to find her. Chip and Ozzie, afraid that he will not be able to get back to the ship on time, rush after him. On their way out, they come across Lucy and Pitkin. Claire once again leaves him to go with Ozzie. Pitkin recalls all the times in his life that he "understood" and realizes he has been played

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1914-576: Is one of those rare revivals that remind us what a hit show from long was originally all about. The joy of Mr. Rando's production is in its air of erotic effortlessness." The first London production of On the Town opened at the Prince of Wales Theatre on May 30, 1963, and ran for 63 performances. It was directed and choreographed by Joe Layton and starred Elliott Gould and Don McKay. The main female roles were taken by two Americans, Carol Arthur and Andrea Jaffe, and an English actress, Gillian Lewis . It

2001-547: Is rich in dance ... and winning performances (particularly from Tony Yazbeck as the lovelorn sailor Gabey, and a scenery-devouring Andrea Martin as a nutso-dipso voice teacher), but it's richest of all in music. There are several ballet sequences, instant reprises, jazzy pop songs, classical spoofs, and soaring ballads." A production of On The Town opened in June 2013 at Barrington Stage Company in Massachusetts. John Rando directed

2088-597: Is studying to do all the things they said she was, she is nothing more than a "cooch dancer" at Coney Island. When Madame Dilly leaves to refill her flask, Gabey enters. He asks Ivy to go out with him, and to his surprise, she accepts. Gabey leaves ecstatically. Madame Dilly advises Ivy to break the date as "sex and art don't mix" ("Carnegie Hall Pavane") Ozzie accompanies Claire back to her apartment, where he meets Claire's fiancé, Pitkin W. Bridgework. They try desperately to explain what they are doing together, but Pitkin does not mind ("I Understand"). He leaves them alone to go to

2175-508: The 1956 film version . In 1957, he conceived, choreographed, and directed West Side Story . West Side Story is a contemporary version of Romeo and Juliet , set on the Upper West Side . The show, with music by Leonard Bernstein, marked the first collaboration between Robbins and Stephen Sondheim , who wrote the lyrics, as well as Arthur Laurents , who wrote the book. Because book, music, and dance were envisioned as an organic whole,

2262-456: The Adelphi Theater on December 28, 1944, directed by George Abbott and with choreography by Jerome Robbins. It closed on February 2, 1946, after 462 performances. The production starred John Battles (Gabey, who replaced Kirk Douglas before tryouts), Cris Alexander (Chip), Nancy Walker (Hildy), Sono Osato (Ivy), Betty Comden (Claire), and Adolph Green (Ozzie). The musical director

2349-589: The City University of New York and an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from New York University in 1985. Jerome Robbins was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1979. Robbins was inducted into the National Museum of Dance's Mr. & Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Hall of Fame 10 years later, in 1989. In 1995, Jerome Robbins instructed the directors of his foundation to establish

2436-648: The Forrest Theatre to see Tobacco Road , the New York City Aquarium , and the Woolworth Building ) are either no longer in existence or no longer notable. The only place Hildy wants to take Chip is her apartment ("Come Up to My Place"). Uperman joins the lady and the cop in the chase, implying Hildy stole the cab. Ozzie goes to the museum but mistakenly arrives at the Museum of Natural History instead of

2523-582: The House Un-American Activities Committee . Although he gave this testimony only after years of pressure, and threats to make public his sexual orientation, his naming names caused resentment among some of his artistic colleagues, including blacklisted actors Jack Gilford and Zero Mostel , who, while working on Fiddler on the Roof "openly disdained Robbins". Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Laurents worked with him on West Side Story only

2610-513: The Imperial Theatre on October 31, 1971, and closed on Jan 1, 1972, after 73 performances. Donna McKechnie , Phyllis Newman , and Bernadette Peters co-starred as Ivy, Claire, and Hildy. The director and choreographer were Ron Field . Peters received a nomination for the 1972 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In his review for the New York Times , Clive Barnes wrote:

2697-809: The London Symphony Orchestra and an all-star, crossover cast of opera and theater performers in a semi-staged concert version produced by Deutsche Grammophon and recorded for both CD and video release. The video was also aired on the PBS series Great Performances , and in the UK on both BBC Two and BBC Radio 3 in January 1994. Participants included Frederica von Stade , Thomas Hampson , Tyne Daly , Cleo Laine , David Garrison , Samuel Ramey , and, as both narrators and performers, Comden and Green themselves. The resulting recordings included material cut at various stages of

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2784-731: The Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spring and a shorter season at the David H. Koch Theater in the fall; the company tours around the world the rest of the year. The company was scheduled to have a 5-week spring season at the MET preceded by a 2-week season at the Koch Theater beginning in 2020. ABT is the parent company of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School , and

2871-482: The Metropolitan Opera House , its new official venue. Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1980 became artistic director for American Ballet Theatre. Baryshnikov staged, restaged, and refurbished numerous classical ballets and, according to the company, strengthened their classical tradition. Baryshnikov was replaced in 1989 by Jane Hermann and Oliver Smith, who remained as artistic directors until 1992, when Kevin McKenzie received

2958-472: The Museum of Modern Art . There he meets a budding anthropologist, Claire de Loone. She is amazed at his resemblance to a prehistoric man and asks him for his measurements. He mistakes her scientific interest for romantic interest, but as she explains, she is engaged to be married to the famous Judge Pitkin W. Bridgework. Pitkin has taught her to learn to know men scientifically, but she, like Ozzie, often gets "Carried Away." The two of them accidentally knock over

3045-464: The "Tradition" number from Fiddler on the Roof . He was awarded a fifth Tony Award for it. Following a bicycle accident in 1990 and heart-valve surgery in 1994, in 1996 he began showing signs of a form of Parkinson's disease , and his hearing was quickly deteriorating. He nevertheless staged Les Noces for City Ballet in 1998, his last project. Robbins suffered a stroke in July 1998, two months after

3132-416: The 1940s, their name was legally changed to Robbins. Robbins began studying modern dance in high school with Alys [CK] Bentley, who encouraged her pupils to improvise steps to music. Said Robbins later: "What [she] gave me immediately was the absolute freedom to make up my own dances without inhibition or doubts." After graduation he went to study chemistry at New York University (NYU) but dropped out after

3219-577: The 1970s. Robbins became ballet master of the New York City Ballet in 1972 and worked almost exclusively in classical dance throughout the next decade, pausing only to stage revivals of West Side Story (1980) and Fiddler on the Roof (1981). In 1981, his Chamber Dance Company toured the People's Republic of China. The 1980s saw an increased presence on TV as NBC aired Live From Studio 8H: An Evening of Jerome Robbins' Ballets with members of

3306-416: The 2014 Broadway revival). The three break up, Gabey to Carnegie Hall , Ozzie to the Museum of Modern Art , and Chip to the "subway people." The three imagine what Miss Turnstiles must be like, and a ballet is performed in which Ivy demonstrates all the many different, contradictory, skills she has. The little old lady finds a policeman and the two chase after the sailors. A young female cabbie named Hildy

3393-465: The Bernstein songs, keeping four, including "New York, New York," and replaced the others with new songs with music by Roger Edens and lyrics by Comden and Green. A quartet of dockyard workers mourns the start of a new workday ("I Feel Like I'm Not Out of Bed Yet"). The whistle blows at 6 AM, and three sailors emerge: Ozzie, Chip, and Gabey, excited for 24 hours of shore leave ("New York, New York"). Chip

3480-546: The Congacabana at the suggestion of Claire, but on their way out, they run into Pitkin. Ozzie and Claire try to explain the situation, but as before, all Pitkin says is "I Understand (reprise)." The gang leaves for the Congacabana while Pitkin stays behind to pay the check. At the Congacabana, Dolores Dolores (the same performer as "Diana Dream") sings the same sad song as before, in Spanish. Hildy interrupts her, saying she had gotten

3567-669: The New York City Ballet, and a retrospective of Robbins's choreography aired on PBS in a 1986 installment of Dance in America . The latter led to his creating the anthology show Jerome Robbins' Broadway in 1989 which recreated the most successful production numbers from his 50-plus year career. Starring Jason Alexander as the narrator (a performance that would win Alexander a Tony), the show included stagings of cut numbers like Irving Berlin 's Mr. Monotony and well-known ones like

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3654-512: The Roof (1964). The show starred Zero Mostel as Tevye and ran for 3242 performances, setting the record (since surpassed) for longest-running Broadway show. The plot, about Jews living in Russia near the beginning of the 20th century, allowed Robbins to return to his religious roots. He continued to choreograph and stage productions for both the Joffrey Ballet and the New York City Ballet into

3741-634: The Roof . Robbins was a five-time Tony Award -winner and a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors . He received two Academy Awards , including the 1961 Academy Award for Best Director with Robert Wise for West Side Story and a special Academy Honorary Award for his choreographic achievements on film. A documentary about Robbins's life and work, Something to Dance About , featuring excerpts from his journals, archival performance and rehearsal footage, and interviews with Robbins and his colleagues, premiered on PBS in 2009 and won both an Emmy and

3828-601: The appointment. McKenzie satisfied the demands of the traditional ballet audience by prioritizing full-length narrative ballets. He also succeeded in keeping the company afloat during financially unstable times. In 2004 he established an official associate ballet school, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School . After a long period of no in-house choreographer, McKenzie appointed Alexei Ratmansky as "Artist in Residence" in January 2009. McKenzie stepped down from

3915-428: The book and lyrics...have ease and a decent few laughs...The music...has worn less well, too many of the nostalgic ballads sound like sub-Puccini filtered through Glenn Miller...Mr. Field has staged the musical numbers with zest and imagination, but, with respect, he is no great shakes as a choreographer...Where Mr. Field is most successful is in the performances of his six principals, and the women are markedly better than

4002-466: The career of Shirley MacLaine , and created, choreographed, and directed the Mary Martin vehicle, Peter Pan (which he re-staged for an Emmy Award-winning television special in 1955, earning himself a nomination for best choreography). He also directed and co-choreographed (with Bob Fosse ) Bells Are Ringing (1956), starring Judy Holliday . Robbins recreated his stage dances for The King and I for

4089-478: The cast, in a Broadway first, had to be equally skilled as actors, singers, and dancers. To help the young cast grow into their roles, Robbins did not allow those playing members of opposite gangs (Jets and Sharks) to mix during the rehearsal process. He also, according to dancer Linda Talcott Lee, "played psychological games" with the cast: "And he would plant rumors among one gang about the other, so they really hated each other." Although it opened to good reviews, it

4176-572: The celebrated "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet in addition to other dances, and the revue Two's Company, starring Bette Davis. He also performed uncredited show doctoring on the musicals A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1951), Wish You Were Here (1952), Wonderful Town (1953), and choreographed and directed several sketches for The Ford 50th Anniversary Show , starring Mary Martin and Ethel Merman on CBS. In 1954, Robbins collaborated with George Abbott on The Pajama Game (1954), which launched

4263-403: The company changed its name to American Ballet Theatre. It continued to emphasize ballet classics, yet remained challenged by financial issues. During the 1960s and 1970s, the company's prospects brightened due to more favorable private funding. During this period, American Ballet Theatre shifted its ballet focus to the recruitment of star performers. In 1977, the company began its spring season at

4350-420: The company in late 2022, as announced in 2021. Susan Jaffe took over the company at the end of 2022. Ratmansky departed the troupe in June 2023. American Ballet Theatre has four levels within the company. They are (in ascending order): apprentice , corps de ballet , soloist , and principal . The following is a partial list of former dancers with ABT, listed by their highest rank prior to leaving

4437-731: The company. Perhaps no other choreographer was as closely associated with ABT as the great British choreographer Antony Tudor , who made his American debut with the company. The other continuous creative force was the legendary Agnes de Mille . She staged the majority of her ballet works with them. Many choreographers have mounted works especially for ABT, including George Balanchine , Adolph Bolm , Michel Fokine , Léonide Massine , and Bronislava Nijinska . Other renowned choreographers who have worked at ABT include Jerome Robbins , Twyla Tharp , and Alvin Ailey . ABT's 1976 production of The Nutcracker starring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland

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4524-492: The dances he created for Ballets USA were N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz and Moves. In 1950, Robbins was called to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC), suspected of Communist sympathies. Robbins, though willing to confess to past party membership, resisted naming names of others with similar political connections; he held out for three years until, according to two family members in whom he confided, he

4611-557: The film received 10 Academy Awards for the 1961 award year, Robbins won two, one for his Direction and one for "Brilliant Achievements in the Art of Choreography on Film". In 1962, Robbins directed Arthur Kopit 's non-musical play Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad . The production ran over a year off-Broadway and was transferred to Broadway for a short run in 1963, after which Robbins directed Anne Bancroft in

4698-410: The first members of New York City's newly formed Actors Studio , attending classes held by founding member Robert Lewis three times a week, alongside classmates including Marlon Brando , Maureen Stapleton , Montgomery Clift , Herbert Berghof , Sidney Lumet , and about 20 others. In 1948 he added another credit to his resume, becoming co-director as well as choreographer for Look Ma, I'm Dancin'! ;

4785-536: The fool by everyone, including Claire ("Pitkin's Song (I Understand)"). He also bonds with Lucy and the two of them join the chase along with the little old lady, the police officers, Figment, and Uperman. Riding the subway, Gabey dreams about Coney Island and Ivy. An extended dance sequence occurs with Ivy and a dream Gabey in a boxing match ("Subway Ride/The Great Lover Displays Himself/The Imaginary Coney Island"). The other four have just missed Gabey and are riding another subway car. They wonder about their future after

4872-438: The idea of doing the ballet, I watched sailors, and girls, too, all over town." Robbins commissioned the score for the ballet from Leonard Bernstein , who was a relatively unknown composer at the time. He also enlisted Oliver Smith as set designer. Later that year, Robbins conceived and choreographed On the Town (1944), a musical partly inspired by Fancy Free , which effectively launched his Broadway career. Bernstein wrote

4959-445: The men have to go back to the ship ("Some Other Time"). At Coney Island, Ivy, along with several other girls, dances in a show called Rajah Bimmy's Harem Scarem ("The Real Coney Island"). Gabey sees Ivy and accidentally tears her already skimpy outfit off. She is arrested for indecent exposure as the chasers arrive and demand the others be arrested. Claire hopes Pitkin will get her out of the situation, but he no longer trusts her and has

5046-659: The men. Best of all is Bernadette Peters as the Bronx nasal taxi driver...Phyllis Newman as Claire also danced and sang with just the right style and gusto. Donna McKechnie made a sweet and talented Ivy Smith. The second Broadway revival opened at the Gershwin Theatre on November 19, 1998, and ran for 69 performances. This production began as a summer event at the Public Theater 's Delacorte Theater in Central Park and made use of

5133-465: The music and Smith designed the sets. The book and lyrics were written by a team that Robbins would work with again, Betty Comden and Adolph Green , and the director was the Broadway legend George Abbott . Because Robbins, as choreographer, insisted that his chorus reflect the racial diversity of a New York City crowd, On the Town broke the color bar on Broadway for the first time. Robbins's next musical

5220-657: The musical's development. Thomas revived this concert edition of the work in 1996 with the San Francisco Symphony , with many of the same performers. On The Town was part of English National Opera 's repertoire, running April 20 – May 25, 2007, at the London Coliseum , with Caroline O'Connor as Hildy, with choreography by Stephen Mear . As part of their 2017 Season, the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre staged On The Town , directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie; it

5307-684: The northeast corner of Madison Avenue . Known as "Jerry" to those close to him, Robbins was given the middle name Wilson reflecting his parents' patriotic enthusiasm for the then-president, Woodrow Wilson . In the early 1920s, the Rabinowitz family moved to Weehawken, New Jersey . His father and uncle opened the Comfort Corset Company in nearby Union City . He graduated in 1935 from Woodrow Wilson High School (since renamed as Weehawken High School ). The family had many show business connections, including vaudeville performers and theater owners. In

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5394-508: The original Broadway numbers with Hollywood-written substitutes. The show has enjoyed several major revivals. The musical integrates dance into its storytelling: Robbins made several ballets and extended dance sequences for the show, including the "Imaginary Coney Island" ballet. The Jerome Robbins ballet Fancy-Free (1944), with music by Leonard Bernstein, was a hit for the American Ballet Theatre , and Oliver Smith , who designed

5481-455: The picture, takes it with him. An old lady angrily tells him that she will have him arrested for vandalism and the three run off. Gabey wants to meet Ivy Smith, despite Chip's protests that the city is too big for things like that to happen. Ozzie, recounting an incident where Gabey saved their lives, convinces Chip to help Gabey find her. Chip grudgingly agrees and Ozzie coaches Gabey on what to do once he meets Ivy ("Gabey's Comin'," performed in

5568-405: The point Gilford and his wife often had to borrow money from friends to make ends meet. Because he cooperated with HUAC, Robbins's career did not visibly suffer and he was not blacklisted. In 1960, Robbins co-directed, with Robert Wise , the film adaptation of West Side Story . After about 45 days of shooting, he was fired when the production was considered 24 days behind schedule. However, when

5655-587: The premiere of his re-staging of Les Noces . He died at his home in New York on July 29, 1998. On the evening of his death, the lights of Broadway were dimmed for a moment in tribute. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered on the Atlantic Ocean. Robbins had romantic relationships with a number of people, including Montgomery Clift , Nora Kaye , Buzz Miller , and Jess Gerstein. As a former Communist Party member, he named 10 communists in his testimony before

5742-524: The production and Joshua Bergasse choreographed. The production starred Tony Yazbeck (Gabey), Clyde Alves (Ozzie), Jay Armstrong Johnson (Chip), Alysha Umphress (Hildy), Deanna Doyle (Ivy), Elizabeth Stanley (Claire), Michael Rupert (Judge Pitkin), Allison Guinn (Lucy Schmeeler), and Nancy Opel (Madame P. Dilly). In his review Ben Brantley wrote: "John Rando's production of On The Town, the 1944 musical about three sailors on shore leave in New York City,

5829-567: The program is described by ABT as "a bridge between ballet training and professional performance". Project Plié is a diversity initiative launched in 2013 by Rachel Moore , who was then ABT's executive director and CEO. Following her departure, the project was overseen by artistic director Kevin McKenzie and Mary Jo Ziesel, ABT director of education and training. The program was inspired by ABT principal dancer Misty Copeland , and aims to "increase racial and ethnic representation in ballet and diversify America's ballet companies". The initiative

5916-429: The sets; his business partner, Paul Feigay, thought that the ballet could be turned into a Broadway musical. They convinced Robbins and Bernstein, who in turn wanted their friends Comden and Green to write the book and lyrics. When the director George Abbott was added to the project, funding was secured, including funding from the movie studio MGM in return for the film rights. On the Town premiered on Broadway at

6003-575: The ship, eager to have their own adventures in New York City ("New York, New York (reprise)/Finale Act II"). Act I Act II * Cut from the original Broadway production, but in the published vocal score and included in the 2014 Broadway production. Cut Numbers American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre ( ABT ) is a classical ballet company based in New York City . Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at

6090-523: The talents of Imogene Coca and Carol Channing ) and some dramatic, topical, and controversial. One such dance, later also performed in New York City at the 92nd Street Y, was Strange Fruit , set to the song of the same name sung by Billie Holiday . In 1940, Robbins joined Ballet Theatre (later known as American Ballet Theatre ). From 1941 through 1944, Robbins was a soloist with the company, attracting notice for his performance as Hermes in Helen of Troy ,

6177-429: The three men brought to the naval authorities. The girls ask Pitkin if he has ever "committed an indiscretion," which he staunchly refuses. Just then, he sneezes in the same way as Lucy Schmeeler, casting doubt on his claim. As the clock chimes six, the sailors prepare to get back on the ship. Just then, the girls come running to them, telling them that Pitkin understood. They say a fond farewell as three new sailors leave

6264-455: The three women in the sailors' lives, as well as Jackie Hoffman (Madame Dilly), Michael Rupert (Judge Pitkin), and Allison Guinn (Lucy Schmeeler). A cast album was recorded at Audio Paint Studios in New York City in 2014. The production closed, after 28 previews and 368 regular performances, on September 6, 2015. An Encores! staged concert was presented at New York City Center from November 19, 2008, through November 23, 2008, as part of

6351-637: The title role in Petrouchka , the Youth in Agnes de Mille 's Three Virgins and a Devil , and Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet ; he also came under the influence of the choreographers Michel Fokine , Antony Tudor , and George Balanchine. During this period, Robbins created Fancy Free , a ballet with a screwball-comedy plot about sailors on leave that combined classical ballet with 1940s social dancing. He performed in it when it

6438-426: The venue in unique ways. Upon its Broadway Transfer, critics disparaged the subsequent production and changes as lifeless and bland by comparison. Lea Delaria 's performance as Hildy the taxi driver (and especially her all-stops-out rendition of "I Can Cook, Too") won wide praise, with Ben Brantley writing "Working through the saucy double-entendres and scat embellishments of I Can Cook Too, Hildy's mating call of

6525-461: The world. The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre (ABT/JKO School) is the associate school of American Ballet Theatre located within the Flatiron District of Manhattan, New York City. The school comprises a Children's Division for ages 4 to 12, a Pre-Professional Division for ages 12 to 18, and the preparatory program Studio Company for ages 16 to 20. Cynthia Harvey,

6612-702: The year after that he teamed with Irving Berlin to choreograph Miss Liberty . While he was forging a career on Broadway, Robbins continued to work in ballet, creating a string of inventive and stylistically diverse ballets, including Interplay , which was set to a score by Morton Gould , and Facsimile , which was set to music by Leonard Bernstein and was banned in Boston [CK]. In 1949 Robbins left Ballet Theatre to join George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein 's newly formed New York City Ballet as Associate Artistic Director. Soon after that he choreographed The Guests,

6699-423: Was Max Goberman . The original production of On the Town was notable for its racially diverse cast and intentional avoidance of racial stereotypes. The Japanese-American dancer Sono Osato starred as Ivy; there were six African-Americans in the cast, who were treated as part of the citizenry; and nine months into the run, the black conductor Everett Lee took over the podium. The first Broadway revival opened at

6786-484: Was a jazz-age fable, Billion Dollar Baby (1945). During rehearsals for it, an incident happened that became a part of Robbins – and Broadway – lore: the choreographer, preoccupied by giving directions to the dancers, backed up onstage until he fell into the orchestra pit. Two years later, Robbins received plaudits for his humorous Mack Sennett ballet, High Button Shoes (1947), and won his first Tony Award for choreography . That same year, Robbins would become one of

6873-569: Was awarded with five Tony Awards , two Academy Awards (including the special Academy Honorary Award), the Kennedy Center Honors (1981), the National Medal of Arts (1988), the French Legion of Honor , and an Honorary Membership in the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. He was awarded three honorary doctorates including an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1980 from

6960-547: Was not a propitious time for new musicals in London, given dramatic developments that year in British popular music. A month earlier, Bock and Harnick 's She Loves Me had opened on Broadway and ran for some 300 performances, but flopped when it came to London in 1964, not least because people thought the title had something to do with the Beatles . In 1992, Michael Tilson Thomas led

7047-510: Was not working. Sondheim wrote and Robbins staged an entirely new opening number, "Comedy Tonight", which explained to the audience what was to follow, and the show played successfully from then on. In 1964, he took on a floundering Funny Girl and devised a show that ran 1348 performances. The musical helped turn lead Barbra Streisand into a superstar. That same year, Robbins won Tony Awards for his direction and choreography in Fiddler on

7134-477: Was overshadowed by Meredith Willson 's The Music Man at that year's Tony Awards. West Side Story did, however, earn Robbins his second Tony Award for choreography . The streak of hits continued with Gypsy (1959), starring Ethel Merman . Robbins re-teamed with Sondheim and Laurents, and the music was by Jule Styne . The musical is based (loosely) on the life of stripper Gypsy Rose Lee . In 1956 Robbins's muse, Tanaquil LeClercq , contracted polio and

7221-623: Was paralyzed; for the next decade Robbins largely withdrew from his activities at New York City Ballet, but he established his own small dance company, Ballets USA, which premiered at the inaugural season of Gian Carlo Menotti's Festival of the Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy in June 1958, toured Europe and the US under the auspices of the State Department, and appeared on television on The Ed Sullivan Show. Among

7308-530: Was presented at the Metropolitan Opera as part of the Ballet Theatre's 1944 season. He said that one of his inspirations for this ballet had been Paul Cadmus 's 1934 painting The Fleet's In! , even though it was lighthearted, which the painting decidedly was not. Robbins said in an interview with The Christian Science Monitor : "After seeing ... Fleet's In , which I inwardly rejected though it gave me

7395-681: Was recognized as "America's National Ballet Company" in 2006 by the United States Congress . In 1939 Pleasant and Chase committed to the creation of "a large scale company with an eclectic repertory". The pair and a small group from Mordkin Ballet formed Ballet Theatre . Their new company's first performance was on 11 January 1940. Chase began developing the company's repertoire of well-known full-length ballets, as well as original works, amidst financial issues. In 1945 Oliver Smith joined Ballet Theatre and became co-director with Chase. In 1957

7482-574: Was televised the following year and has become a broadcast classic. The main season is held during the spring at New York City's Metropolitan Opera House , with shorter seasons in the fall previously held at New York City Center , now held at the David H. Koch Theater . Performances of Alexei Ratmansky 's The Nutcracker during the holiday season are held at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts . The company tours extensively throughout United States and

7569-429: Was threatened with public exposure of his homosexuality. Robbins named the names of persons he said were Communists, including actors Lloyd Gough and Elliot Sullivan, dance critic Edna Ocko, filmmaker Lionel Berman, playwright Jerome Chodorov, his brother Edward Chodorov, Madeline Lee Gilford and her husband Jack Gilford , who were blacklisted for their perceived political beliefs and had their careers suffer noticeably, to

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