“Nice Work If You Can Get It,” Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South, through Sept. 28, $30-50, 801-355-2787 or arttix.org
The first national tour of the fresh-from-Broadway “Nice Work If You Can Get It” has rolled into the Capitol Theatre, and what’s the “Sweet and Lowdown,” to quote a song title, of this “new” musical?
The music: Certainly you’ve heard the names of composer George Gershwin and lyricist Ira Gershwin. For orchestras, George Gershwin penned “Rhapsody in Blue” and “An American in Paris” and, originally as an opera, “Porgy and Bess.” Together, they wrote some of the most masterful shows in the Golden Age of Broadway, including “Strike Up the Band,” “Girl Crazy” and “Funny Face.”
However, “Nice Work If You Can Get It” cannot be called an original musical because no song was composed directly for the show. This musical unlocks the vault of the enormous Gershwin catalog to include such wildly popular golden hits as “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” and “Fascinating Rhythm,” along with lesser-known nuggets as “Treat Me Rough,” the thoroughly delightful “Hangin’ Around With You” and the comic novelty “Blah, Blah, Blah” (written for the aborted “East Is West”).
Review: “Delishious,” to quote another song title.
The story/musical book: Not a revue with Gershwin titles, “Nice Work If You Can Get It” follows the route of “My One and Only” and “Crazy for You” and uses many of the brothers’ songs with a new story not written during their lifetime — or direct supervision, of course. Joe DiPietro, who somehow won a Tony Award for the mish-mash book of “Memphis,” has written a new story that tributes the screwball musicals of the ’20s and ’30s, with mistaken identities, luxurious mansions and bored socialites.
Showing none of the inventions of a similar show like “The Drowsy Chaperone,” DiPietro has written a serviceable book with rehashed 11th-hour reveals (the "Daddy?" joke was used most memorably in "What's Up, Doc?" and it is followed by a similar "You're My Boss?" line).
There are enough jokes in the book — “Even though we just met, I already love you more than any of my other four wives” — to add a bit of charm.
Review: “Do It Again” — Not!
Performances: Alex Enterline has a magnetic boyish appeal to breathe real life into the “plastic playboy” character of Jimmy Winter. The role was originally tailored for Matthew Broderick, and dare I say he does a better job without the name-on-the-marquee draw? He does sing and dance — and he sings and dances beautifully. As Billie Bendix, Mariah MacFarlane unnaturally pushes the Brooklynese accent so far that some of her dialog is lost. The bootlegger character is also not an easy fit for the actress, but she does sing well (when sound engineers don’t manipulate to add brief echos). But hey: There’s only one Kelli O’Hara, who created the role.
A steal-the-scene performance comes from Reed Campbell as a gangster masquerading as the butler, Cookie McGee. It’s a delightful comic performance. Judy Kaye, also a Broadway luminary, first played Duchess Estonia Dulworth, and Stephanie Harter Gilmore struggles to match her brilliance. Rachael Scarr and Aaron Fried also give nice performances in the cardboard roles of Eileen Evergreen and as Duke Mahoney, respectively, while Stephanie Gandolfo nearly annoys as Jeannie Muldoon.
Review: "Nice Work" — if you get "it."
Direction/choreography: There’s a reason Kathleen Marshall has three Tonys. Let the arguments begin, but she is the best there is now working on Broadway in the dual capacity. While she doesn’t redefine dance in musical theater like Jerome Robbins and Bob Fosse, Marshall can proudly stand alongside Gower Champion. Her inventive, effervescent staging here is seen in the chorines rising out of a bubble bath as dancing bubbles, with the male ensemble as dashing cavaliers following for good measure. The choreography in the Astaire-Rogers style is entrancing.
David Eggers has abundant talent to re-create the original choreography and direct a largely winning cast, with a few stunning performances.
Review: “Do It Again”
Adding to this superb production are the gorgeous costumes by two-time Tony winner Martin Pakledinaz and original scenic design by Derek McLane that was adapted for the tour by Shoko Kambara.
Final review: “ ’S Wonderful”
Content advisory: Mild sexual references; a same-sex kiss for comic effect; brief, suggestive, veiled nudity.