Wonderful Town
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Wonderful Town is a musical written by Leonard Bernstein (music), and Betty Comden and Adolph Green (lyrics), and Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov (book). It was originally directed by George Abbott, choreographed by Donald Saddler and produced by Robert Fryer. It debuted on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on February 25, 1953 and ran for 559 performances, closing in July 3, 1954. It was broadcast live as a television special on CBS in 1958, starring Rosalind Russell and revived on Broadway in 2003 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, starring Donna Murphy.
The story is a reworking of the play My Sister Eileen, following the story of two sisters from Ohio who move to New York City in search of love and fortune. The main characters are Ruth and Eileen Sherwood, two sisters from Columbus, Ohio trying to make their way in the big city.
In 1953, the original production was nominated for six Tony Awards and won in all six categories (Best Musical, Rosalind Russell for Best Actress, Best Scenic Design, Best Choreographer, Best Conductor and Musical Director, and the Theatre World Award). The 2003 revival was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning one for Best Choreography (Kathleen Marshall).
A much lighter piece than Leonard Bernstein's later works, West Side Story and Candide, Betty Comden and Adolph Green's lyrics are paired with Bernstein's music to produce some of the most popular songs of the 1950s.