On Your Toes

On Your Toes (1936), a musical comedy by George Abbott (book), Richard Rodgers (book, music), Lorenz Hart (book, lyrics). [ Imperial Theatre, 315 perf.] Junior Dolan (Ray Bolger), the son of old vaudevillians, becomes a music professor and helps a struggling Russian ballet company. But complications force him to go on in place of the lead dancer and perform opposite the Russian prima ballerina Vera Barnova (Tamara Geva). Gangsters try to shoot him during the ballet, but they are apprehended in time for a happy ending, which includes his proposal of marriage to sweet songwriter Frankie Frayne (Doris Carson). Notable songs: There's a Small Hotel; On Your Toes; It's Got to Be Love; Too Good for the Average Man; Glad to Be Unhappy; Quiet Night. The production was an innovative musical, in no small measure because of the fine George Ballanchine ballets, including the legendary “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue,” which was the first to have a story and a connection with the plot of the show. The Dwight Deere Wiman production starred Bolger in one of his finest performances and featured Monty Woolley and Luella Gear in secondary roles. A major revival in 1954 featured Vera Zorina and Bobby Van, while a more successful 1983 revival starred Natalia Makarova and Lara Teeter, both productions directed by Abbott who staged the original.

American musical comedy with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart. First Broadway production was 11 Apr. 1936. It was the first Broadway musical to feature a ballet (in this case the climax): Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, choreographed by Balanchine and danced by Tamara Geva. It was the first of four Rodgers and Hart shows choreographed by Balanchine and introduced the term choreographer to Broadway programme credits.