Photo Coverage: BANDSTAND Marks 'Spirit of '45' Day with America's Longest Working Rosie the Riveter

The cast of Broadway's hit musical Bandstand - the only musical to depict the World War II veteran experience on Broadway - welcomed "America's Longest Working Rosie the Riveter," 97-year-old Elinor Otto, and 93-year-old Luke Gasparre, decoratEd Battle of the Bulge Purple Heart recipient in his original service uniform, to the Broadway stage on Friday evening. Following the performance curtain call, Bandstand star Corey Cott invited them to join the Broadway company for a special salute and bow. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photos from the visit below!

Bandstand saluted them to help inspire America to honor the legacy of our Greatest Generation on the anniversary of the end of WWII - "Spirit of '45 Day" which is celebrated today, August 14 - and to remind people of our obligation to ensure that the veterans of every generation receive the homecoming they have earned and deserve.

Set in the smoke filled, swing fueled night clubs of 1945, Bandstand brings the against-all-odds story of singer/songwriter Donny Novitski and his band of mismatched fellow WWII veterans to the stage. When a national radio contest to find America's next big swing band offers a chance at instant fame and Hollywood fortune, Donny must whip his wise-cracking gang of jazzers into fighting shape. Teaming up with the beautiful young war widow Julia as their singer, they struggle to confront the lingering effects and secrets of the battlefield that threaten to tear them apart. Playing for every voiceless underdog in a world that has left them behind, they risk everything in the final live broadcast to redefine the meaning of victory. With an explosive original score and choreography inspired by the high energy swing rhythms of the era, Bandstand is a truly American story of love, loss, triumph and the everyday men and women whose personal bravery defined a nation.

Bandstand is the first Broadway production to be "6 Certified" by Got Your 6, a non-profit that highlights projects that portray narratives about military personnel and their families accurately and responsibly.

Photo Credit: Jessica Fallon Gordon

Corey Cott and Laura Osnes

Corey Cott

Luke Gasparre

Luke Gasparre and the cast of Bandstand

Elinor Otto, Luke Gasparre and the cast of Bandstand

Elinor Otto, Luke Gasparre and Corey Cott

Elinor Otto and Corey Cott

Elinor Otto, Luke Gasparre, Corey Cott and Laura Osnes

Elinor Otto, Luke Gasparre, Corey Cott and Laura Osnes

Elinor Otto, Luke Gasparre, Corey Cott and Laura Osnes

Elinor Otto, Luke Gasparre, Corey Cott and Laura Osnes

Elinor Otto and Luke Gasparre

Elinor Otto and Luke Gasparre

Laura Osnes, Corey Cott, Elinor Otto, Luke Gasparre and Beth Leavel

Laura Osnes, Elinor Otto and Beth Leavel

Corey Cott and Luke Gasparre

Gabrielle Palitz, Elinor Otto, Luke Gasparre and Tom Smedes

Elinor Otto, Luke Gasparre and the Donny Nova Band