Nice Work If You Can Get It
Nice Work If You Can Get It: Music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin. Book by Joe DiPietro. Featuring the glorious music of George and Ira Gershwin, Nice Work If You Can Get It is screwball musical comedy set in the Prohibition era that is steeped in hijinks and hilarity! Boorish and boisterous bootleggers clash with swanky socialites to the tune of some of the Gershwins’ most revered songs, such as “Fascinating Rhythm,” “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Sweet and Low Down,” “Delishious,” and of course, the title song!
Get Your FREE Plot Now!
Rental Costumes for Nice Work If You Can Get It
What do you get when you request a FREE costume plot from The Costumer? We will send you the listing and costume description for the entire show, organized by act and scene for your convenience. The Costumer is proud to provide quality Adult and Children’s rental costumes for productions of Nice Work If You Can Get It! Group costume rentals for Nice Work If You Can Get It cover the entire cast including leads such as Jimmy Winter, Billie Bendix, Senator Max Evergreen, Jeannie Muldoon and Duchess Estonia Dulworth as well as ensemble members including Society Guys, the Vice Squad, Show Girls, and Bubble Boys and Girls!
Nice Work If You Can Get It opened on Broadway on April 24th, 2012 at the Imperial Theatre and closed more than a year later on June 15th, 2013 after 27 previews and 478 regular performances. With music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and book by Joe DiPietro, Nice Work is a rip-roaring Prohibition era comedy that features posh socialites clashing with boorish bootleggers, all set to the Gershwin Brothers’ classic songs! Following its opening on Broadway, the musical earned 10 Tony Award nominations.
The story begins in 1927 as the oft-married Jimmy Winter celebrates at his bachelor party in raucous style (“Sweet and Lowdown”). Outside of the rowdy affair, a group of career bootleggers – Cookie, Billie, and Duke – find themselves in a dilemma. The trio needs to figure out where to hide 400 cases of gin that they have stashed on their boat, otherwise they risk getting busted by the police. A stranger approaches the group causing Duke and Cookie to run off. Jimmy, drunk and stumbling, staggers out of his party and finds Billie. Jimmy is immediately smitten by the attractive bootlegger. He explains that his mother is forcing him to only marry someone she deems as respectable, otherwise she will disinherit him. Thus, Jimmy is marrying someone he doesn’t truly love.
Billie is hardly interested in Jimmy’s plight, until he mentions that he owns a huge beach house on Long Island that he never uses. Billie then swipes Jimmy’s wallet to discover the address of the aforementioned beach house. Jimmy thinks that Billie is falling for him, however Billie states that love is for suckers to which Jimmy couldn’t disagree with more (“Nice Work if You Can Get It”). At the conclusion of the song, Jimmy passes out and Billie can’t take her attention off of the passed-out stranger on the ground (“Nice Work If You Can Get It – Reprise”). Cookie and Duke race back to Billie, and she informs the pair that she’s found a place to store their stash of gin, Jimmy’s beach house. At the sound of a police whistle, the gang scatters. Senator Max Evergreen and Police Chief Berry enter the scene. They are accompanied by Duchess Estonia Dulworth who has brought along her Vice Squad to rid society of its greatest and most corrupting evil: alcohol (“Demon Rum”).
From the very start of this Prohibition era romp, The Costumer will ensure that your audience is immediately carried away from our contemporary surroundings into the world of the Roaring Twenties! Jimmy Winter will come to life onstage in a dapper tuxedo complete with tails, a white scarf, cane, and top hat. Billie will resemble that of a street hustler in a denim shirt, earth-tone casual jacket, matching vest, and coordinating mini-apple cap. The Chief Berry will enter dressed as a stern officer of the law in a pristine policeman’s uniform with a tunic collar jacket, complete with badge, nightstick, and officer’s hat. Senator Max Evergreen will reflect a buttoned-up conservative politician of the era in an old-fashioned double-breasted suit, classy long overcoat and matching hat. Duchess Estonia Dulworth will exude a similar style in a fashionable dress and over jacket complete with matching gloves and purse. The Duchess and Senator will be accompanied by the loyal Vice Squad who will be decked in black and white pinstriped double-breasted suits, and flashy shirts and ties.
The story picks up the following morning at Jimmy’s lavish beach house where Billie, Cookie and Duke have stashed away their 400 cases of gin in the cellar. Jimmy enters with his newlywed wife, Eileen Evergreen, the finest interpreter of modern dance in the world. The newlyweds, who were just married that morning, are vacationing on their honeymoon. Despite their now married status, Eileen refuses to let Jimmy touch her. Cookie appears before the couple dressed as a butler, and they assume that he is a servant. After the disguised bootlegger is sent off, Eileen tells Jimmy that she will be ready for them to begin enjoying their honeymoon together after she takes a bath.
As Eileen exits to bathe before the couple’s honeymoon shenanigans, Billie appears. Billie is shocked to see Jimmy, although Jimmy has no memory of meeting the night before, so he of course begins flirting with her. During their exchange, Billie admits that she has never been kissed. Thus, strictly for educational purposes, Jimmy and Billie share a kiss. Billie then realizes exactly what she’s been missing (“Someone to Watch Over Me”).
As the story continues, more twists and turns will occur, identities will be mistaken, love will blossom, and lots of laughs will be had! While this is only a mere glimpse into the zany world of Nice Work If You Can Get It, The Costumer will be with you every step of the way to create this world of the Roaring Twenties with the help of our rental costumes. Request your free plot today!
Get Your FREE Plot Now!
Back to List of Shows