On April 18 at the Metropolitan Opera House, with Leonard Bernstein on the podium, Robbins’ Fancy Free debuts and ballet history is forever changed. Robbins performs one of the three lead roles of sailors on shore leave in Manhattan.

Robbins and Bernstein turn to friends Betty Comden and Adolph Green to write the book and lyrics for On the Town, based Fancy Free, which opens to rave reviews on December 28.  George Abbott directs.