42nd Street Play

They are finally hanging up those tap shoes -- but not until Jan. 2. The Tony Award-winning revival of "42nd Street" will end its run early next year, its producers, Dodger Stage Holding and Joop van den Ende, announced this week. By the time the musical ends its engagement at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, it will have played more than 1,600 performances. It opened May 2, 2001.

In 1980, Randy Skinner was plucked from the chorus -- that is, from his career as a dancer -- to take a daunting role as assistant to the celebrated director-choreographer Gower Champion ("Carnival," "Hello, Dolly!") for the original "42nd Street" on Broadway.

Calling all coin collectors: If you're looking for a 1933 Mercury-head dime, be advised you won't find one in a numismatic shop, but you can see one on stage at the Ahmanson Theatre, where the feel-good musical "42nd Street" is playing. In fact, in the glittery production number "We're in the Money," you'll find a bevy of chorines dancing atop 22 small wooden dimes. Then, the mother of all 1933 coins is rolled out by two guys for hoofer Robert Spring to strut his stuff atop it.