The iconic image of the 1944 musical "On the Town" is of three sailors on 24 hour leave, arms wide, drinking in technicolor New York City for the first time, hoping to get lucky.

But the real stars of director John Rando's effervescent revival are the women. Instead of just being the arm candy the sailors are pursuing, the female characters here are the ones who wow us with their grace, voices and comic timing.

This is not an accident. Female empowerment is woven all the way through the production — in one of the first numbers, the sailors are trying out ways of seducing women on store mannequins played by chorus members. In the hands of another director, or a choreographer other than Joshua Bergasse (riffing on Jerome Robbins's original work), the result would have been men pawing helpless, plastic women. Instead, the mannequins strike back — literally, with slaps across faces and backsides.

Then there are the featured actresses, especially Alysha Umpress as Hildy the cab driver, who belts the role's signature song of seduction and double entendres, "I Can Cook, Too," with wry warmth and precise comic timing. She is a force of nature.

Megan Fairchild and Jackie Hoffman in Broadway's "On The Town"

(Joan Marcus)

Umpress' vocal prowess is matched by the grace of Megan Fairchild, a principal with the New York City ballet, who used her fluid, physical storytelling to convey hope, shame, love in her role as Ivy Smith, better known as Miss Turnstiles. And then there is Jackie Hoffman in a couple of supporting roles. Her broad, winking parodies of theater and entertainment types are a joy. 

The men are all strong in their parts too, particularly Broadway workhorse Tony Yazbeck as Gabey, who milks Leonard Bernstein's music for every heartfelt note. The three of them dance their way from the Brooklyn Navy Yard to the Statue of Liberty to the Museum of Natural History, thanks to Beowulf Boritt's sets, which use animation to propel us through streets and subway tunnels. 

But if one of the women is in a scene, it's a good bet she'll steal it. In this revival, it's not the sailors who are steering the ship.