The first major production the work has received since its debut starring Rosalind Russell in 1953, this revival sprang from the roots of a City Center Encores! concert, in the same manner as Chicago, another smash hit revival of recent years.

Wonderful Town completes Bernstein's Manhattan-based trio of musicals, which include the aforementioned piece, West Side Story, and On the Town (also with words by Comden-Green). As the Sherwood sisters of Ohio arrive in the Greenwich Village of the 1930's, many reliable and time-tested American musical comedy traditions pour from the stage in the form of show-stopping musical numbers and and clever one-liners. Two time Tony-winner Donna Murphy, along with Jennifer Westfeldt in her Broadway debut, lead the audience through the sisters' transition from middle-America sweethearts to big city swingers.

At left, Betty Comden, and Donna Murphy and Jennifer Westfeldt are seen arriving at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on West 60th St. for the opening night reception. Below, the cast takes their opening night bow.

Wonderful Town is directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and a book by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov. Settings are by John Lee Beatty, lights by Peter Kaczorowski, costumes by Martin Pakledinaz, and sound by Lew Mead.

All photos are by Aubrey Reuben