The Cast

Set during the roaring twenties, Nice Work finds bootleggers Billie Bendix (Mariah MacFarlane), Duke Mahoney (Aaron Fried), and Cookie McGee (Reed Campbell) in a fix: they need to hide a slew of cases of gin. Along comes Jimmy Winter (Alex Enterline) who is tipsy and, we discover, has been married three times—going for four. The crazy, sometimes zany plot begins: somehow, in the end, Billie and Jimmy (who do not initially seem a likely pairing) will get together.

That morning, however, Jimmy married Eileen Evergreen (Rachael Scarr), who self-promotes with ease, describing her forte as an interpreter of modern dance. She sings "Delishious." Before that moment, though, Billie has already fallen for Jimmy with the classic "Someone to Watch Over Me." Along the way, we meet Duchess Estonia Dulworth (Stephanie Harter Gilmore) and her Vice Squad.

The first act begins in smashing fashion, but despite high quality song, dance and performance, it hits a lull. Just before intermission, the show flies into a super high gear in the Ritzy living room with "'S Wonderful" delivered by Enterline and MacFarlane to be followed by "Fascinating Rhythm" featuring Enterline, Campbell and others.

The second portion of Nice Work If You Can Get It is a thorough treat. The bootlegging trio are now disguised as servants: Billie is the cockney maid, Cookie the butler, and Duke the absurdist chef. A wedding lunch is in the offing but these three want to rush through the proceedings. We know that the "first" wedding Jimmy and Eileen had was not legal. Eileen's father Senator Max Evergreen (Benjamin Perez) and Aunt Estonia (Gilmore) wish to make it right for Eileen.

Slapstick takes over when Cookie spikes lemonade for the Duchess with gin. Billie dumps scalding soup in the general vicinity of Jimmy's lower midsection. The Duke has the hots for a sexy chorus girl, Jeannie Muldoon (Stephanie Gandolfo). Eventually, everyone meets Jimmy's mom, Millicent Winter (Barbara Weetman), and she becomes pivotal in the storyline. It all has something to do with the shady business of booze during that epoch ... see for yourself for further specifics.

The production brings neat sets which were originated by Derek McLane and, on tour, by Shoko Kambara. The costumes were designed by Martin Pakledinaz and are currently coordinated by Amy Clark. These include an array of bright, catchy, period-piece outfits for chorus girls, actresses who are animated, malleable, flexible and always on the mark. This presentation has plenty of zip and the crescendo of impressive performance increases during its concluding hour.

In addition to the numbers already mentioned, listen for "Sweet and Lowdown" and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off." MacFarlane's interpretation of "But Not for Me" during the early moments of the second act is my personal favorite: Billie is down on her fortune, feeling that she will never be fulfilled. Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Billie Holiday and many, many others have recorded it. MacFarlane more than holds her own and this is a melancholy moment. The male and female leads, Enterline and MacFarlane, are most impressive. Equally strong are supporting performers Campbell, Fried, Gandolfo, and Gilmore.

Nice Work If You Can Get It continues at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford through February 8th, 2015. For tickets, call (860) 987-5900 or visit bushnell.org. For more information on the tour, visit www.niceworkontour.com.

- Fred Sokol