Character guide
Ivy Smith
from On the Town
Ivy Smith is the lead female role of On the Town, Leonard Bernstein's 1944 musical, playing the subway poster girl Miss Turnstiles whom sailor Gabey searches all of New York City to find.
- Show
- On the Town
- Broadway premiere
- 1944
- Role
- Lead
- Music by
- Leonard Bernstein
Ivy Smith on stage vs screen
Broadway compared with the 1949 film
Vera-Ellen played Ivy in MGM's 1949 film, and Ivy is one of the few characters whose stage showcase survived: the Miss Turnstiles Ballet is among the four Bernstein numbers the film kept. As on stage, the glamorous poster girl turns out to be a cooch dancer at Coney Island. The film adds a new duet for Ivy and Gabey by Roger Edens, Main Street.
The Japanese-American dancer Sono Osato originated Ivy on Broadway in 1944.
Who is Ivy Smith?
Ivy is a young dancer crowned Miss Turnstiles on a subway advertisement, a fleeting bit of local fame that catches Gabey's eye and sets his search for her in motion. In reality, she is a working performer studying voice and dance, juggling ambition with far less glamour than her poster image suggests.
When Gabey finally meets her, Ivy proves to be more down to earth and vulnerable than the idealized image he had built up, giving their eventual romance a grounded quality that undercuts the show's playful satire of instant celebrity.
Ivy's role in On the Town
Ivy is a lead role that demands strong dance ability above all, since the character is a professional dancer and much of her characterization comes through movement rather than dialogue. Her scenes with Gabey, including their eventual reunion, provide the show's central romantic payoff.
Sono Osato originated the role on Broadway in 1944, bringing her ballet trained technique to a part built around Jerome Robbins's choreography. Audiences remember Ivy as a rare 1940s musical heroine defined largely through dance, reflecting the show's roots in ballet.
Ivy Smith: frequently asked questions
What show is Ivy Smith from?
Ivy Smith is a lead character in On the Town, which opened on Broadway in 1944.
Is Ivy Smith a lead or supporting role?
Ivy is a lead role, playing the subway poster girl Gabey searches the city to find.
Who wrote the music for On the Town?
Leonard Bernstein composed the music for On the Town, with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green.
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