Broadway's ON THE TOWN Will Launch National Tour Next Year; Tony Nominee Tony Yazbeck to Star!

Tony Yazbeck, nominated for a 2015 Tony Award for his leading role in the musical-comedy love letter to New York City ON THE TOWN, will reprise the role of 'Gabey' in select cities on the 2016-2017 national tour. ON THE TOWN is nominated for four 2015 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance By a Leading Actor in a Musical (Tony Yazbeck), Best Choreography (Joshua Bergasse), and Best Direction of a Musical (John Rando).

The full tour route will be announced shortly. The tour will coincide with the nationwide celebrations of Leonard Bernstein's 100th Birthday.

Directed by John Rando (Tony Award winner for Urinetown) and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse (Emmy Award winner for "Smash"), ON THE TOWN is an "explosion of pure joy" (David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter) with "the best dancing on Broadway" (Ben Brantley of The New York Times on NPR). Featuring eye popping sets and gorgeous costumes, ON THE TOWN has "a rapturous and red blooded score" (Joe Dziemianowicz, Daily News) by Leonard Bernstein, one of America's greatest composers. This hit musical comedy is "everything a great show should be!" (Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal).

ON THE TOWN, which began previews on Saturday, September 20, 2014 and officially opened on Thursday, October 16, 2014, was created by a legendary dream team, featuring book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, music by Leonard Bernstein, and based on an idea by Jerome Robbins.

ON THE TOWN grew out of the Jerome Robbins ballet Fancy Free, about three sailors on leave in New York, which debuted in 1944 with the American Ballet Theatre. The musical opened at Broadway's Adelphi Theater later that year, directed by George Abbott, and played through February 2, 1946 for a total of 462 performances, transferring to the 44th Street Theatre and Martin Beck Theatre along the way.

ON THE TOWN features scenic and projection design by Tony Award winner Beowulf Boritt (Act One, Chaplin, Rock of Ages), lighting design by Drama Desk nominee Jason Lyons (Bring it On, Rock of Ages), costume design by Tony Award winner Jess Goldstein (Newsies, Jersey Boys, The Rivals), sound design by Tony Award nominee Kai Harada (Follies, Million Dollar Quartet), hair and makeup design by Leah Loukas (A Night with Janis Joplin, Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike), musical direction by James Moore, and additional material by Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins.

ON THE TOWN is produced by Howard & Janet Kagan (Pippin, The Gershwins' Porgy & Bess); Severn Partners Entertainment; Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman; Paula Marie Black; Nigel Lythgoe; Michael J. Moritz Jr.; Ken Mahoney/Michael A. Alden/Dale Badway; Ambassador Theatre Group; Margie and Bryan Weingarten; Kim Schall; Michael Rubenstein; Terry, Louise and Chris Lingner; Corey Brunish and Brisa Trinchero; Stephanie Rosenberg; Domnick Laruffa Jr. and Rob Hinderliter; Neal Rubinstein/Jeremy Handelman; Lizbeth Bintz; Allan S. Gordon and Adam S. Gordon; Matt Ross/Ben Feldman/Pamela Cooper; and Barrington Stage Company.