Nice Work if You Can Get It
at Conestoga

Reviewed on March 10, 2018

Harleigh Myerovich
Harriton High School
Submitted for publication to Philadelphia Inquirer - 1

Flappers, fanfare, and farcical foibles fill the stage in Conestoga High School's production of Nice Work If You Can Get It. A new take on the classic songs of George and Ira Gershwin, "Nice Work" premiered on Broadway in 2012. This upbeat musical tribute pokes fun at 1920s prohibition and the hapless characters who find themselves at the center of a contemporary Broadway comedy. The story begins by introducing the hapless Jimmy Winter, a wealthy ladies' man with a propensity for folly. After his riotous speakeasy bachelor party, he meets the swaggering bootlegger Billie Bendix, who steals his wallet and ultimately his heart.

Conestoga's production was anchored by the consistent energy of its large, colorful ensemble. From the first scene to curtain call, the ensemble's sharp delivery of demanding choreography delighted the audience and captured the razzle-dazzle of classic Broadway. In the role of Jimmy Winter, Max Mooney commanded the stage with assuredness and heart. In the opening number, "Sweet and Lowdown", Mooney drew the audience in along with, Zoe Pratt as Billie Bendix. They delivered an engaging performance, beautifully singing ballads such as "Someone to Watch Over Me." In "Treat Me Rough," Pratt embraced the comedy of her role and kept the audience chuckling with her character's flirtatious antics.

Disguised as Jimmy's "butler" and "chef", bootleggers Cookie McGee (Bryce Bundens) and Duke Mahoney (Mark Hengel) brought considerable humor to the production. Mahoney garnered laughter from the audience from scene to scene with his consistent downtrodden antics. As the lovably ditsy Jeannie Muldoon, Charlotte Kalilec displayed a knack for comedic timing and highlighted her character's charm. Tara Moon, in the role of strict prohibitionist Estonia Dulworth, contributed to the show's riotous humor, quite literally swinging from a chandelier as she gracefully sang the vocally demanding "Looking for a Boy." To close the show, Alex Gianaris as Jimmy's bootlegging mother, Millicent Winter, delivered a strong performance and upheld the humor and energy of the show in her featured role.

In addition to the talented cast, the technical elements of Conestoga's production served to bring the 1920s to life. Despite an initial microphone issue, the Conestoga Sound Crew went on to seamlessly amplify a 50+ person cast. The Conestoga Orchestra seemed to effortlessly keep up with a demanding Gershwin score and were perceptive in helping to resolve initial microphone difficulties by playing softly until the issue was resolved. The bright colored lights of the Conestoga Light Crew brought out the over-the-top antics of the characters. The Conestoga Special Effects crew also delighted the audience, as bubbles showered the audience in the lavish bathing number, "Delishious."

Overall, Nice Work If You Can Get It marks a "S'wonderful" end to Conestoga's theatre season.

Kit Conklin
Baldwin School
Submitted for publication to Philadelphia Inquirer - 2

Take The Great Gatsby, and add the humor of Saturday Night Live, groovy Golden Age Gershwin music, and a pantheon of hilarious high school performers— what do you get? Conestoga High School's production of "Nice Work If You Can Get It"!

It's 1927, and Long Island is a vortex of quirky, outrageous characters, from prissy prohibitionists to flamboyant flappers. Written by Joe DiPietro, Nice Work If You Can Get It premiered on Broadway in 2012, mixing Jazz Era charm with hysterical contemporary comedy.

Conestoga's production of "Nice Work If You Can Get It" flourished with flying colors— literally! The musical consists of one show-stopping number after another. Every song was an explosion of movement, color, excitement, and talent. Everything from the side-splitting speaking roles, to the tedious work and artistic mastery behind the scenes, to an ensemble that put the Mummers Parade to shame, shone through exquisitely.

Among the superlative cast, numerous performances stood out. Bryce Bundens's Cookie McGee procured roars of laughter from the audience, channeling classic cartoon character hilarity and bringing charm to the stage the moment he entered a scene. Amelia Dubendorf stole the show with her stellar performance as THE Eileen Evergreen, her memorable solo "Delishious" a highlight among a production abundant with extraordinary songs.

Another stand-out number was "I've Got To Be There" choreographed by Charlotte Kalilec, who smoothly juggled fiercely leading the ensemble as dance captain with a side-splitting featured role as the vivacious Jeanie Muldoon. Max Mooney (Jimmy Winters) and Zoe Pratt (Billy Bendix) brought the story's protagonists to life, seizing the stage with their powerful vocals, comedic charisma, and ceaseless effort.

From a technical standpoint, Conestoga's production was remarkable. Nearly all the backstage work was executed by students, from the phenomenal set, marvelous lighting design, and unparalleled student orchestra; the staggering amount of detail, time, and effort put into the production was jaw-dropping, and all of it was made crystal clear. The performance was filled with impressive special effects, including bubbles and dry ice, and the backstage crew conducted stark scene transitions with astounding speed and efficiency. What minor technical errors arose were rapidly overcame and skillfully dealt with, a hallmark of excellent teamwork, communication, and dedication.

Conestoga's production of "Nice Work If You Can Get It" was a display of high school musical theater at its finest— and the cast and crew should be incredibly proud of their work.

Jacqueline Scheck
Sun Valley High School
Submitted for publication to GPC Website Review 3

The cast of "Nice Work If You Can Get It" at Conestoga delivered a wonderful performance full of surprises, laughs, and dancing.

"Nice Work If You Can Get It" takes place during the twenties. The musical starts out with the main character, Jimmy, at his bachelor party for his fourth wedding. He is marrying a woman he doesn't love so that his mother doesn't disinherit him. After the party, Jimmy drunkenly meets Billie, a bootlegger who wants to take advantage of his mansion cellar, and falls in love with her. The rest of the plot follows Jimmy as he tries to decide between Billie and his wife and Billie as she runs from the police.

The cast as a whole was phenomenal. Every actor stayed in character beautifully. The dancing was fun and colorful and brought the scenes to life. The ensemble as a whole reacted to every scene and had energy in every dance move they did. The male ensemble was particularly funny in the scenes they were featured in.

The show was cast exceptionally well and each lead stood out in their own way. The vocals of the lead roles were stunning, especially considering the difficulty of some of the songs. Jimmy, played by Max Mooney, had excellent vocals and was a great leading man. He was talented all around and very fun to watch. Billie, played by Zoe Pratt also did a very nice job vocally. Bryce Bundens as Cookie stole the show with comedic facial expressions and great character portrayal.

Several supporting roles stood out as well including Duke, Estonia, and Millicent. Duke, played by Mark Hengel, was a hilarious character that brought comedy into every scene he was in. Estonia, played by Tara Moon, had outstanding vocals throughout the show. Her character development from act one to act two was great. Alex Gianaris who played Millicent, although she was only in a few scenes towards the end, was a very funny role.

The lights and special effects in the show were magnificent and gave a realistic feel for the time period. The sets were all student built and they looked professionally done. The stage crew did a wonderful job with what seemed to be pretty difficult set changes. The costumes were outstanding and also added to the twenties feel. The special effects of the bubbles and dry ice were very engaging. The show also had a student pit which was phenomenal. The score of the show is not easy and they made it seem effortless.

Overall, Conestoga's performance was brilliant. It was extremely impressive for a high school. "Nice Work If You Can Get It" was fun and exciting to watch.

Emily Sinrod
Harriton High School
Submitted for publication to GPC Website Review 4

Boozy bootleggers, chandelier swinging, and the never-ending tomato versus tomahto debate. What else could you ask for in Conestoga's S' Wonderful production of "Nice Work If You Can Get It"?

Featuring the music of George and Ira Gershwin, the outrageous musical comedy debuted on Broadway in 2012 with a new book by Joe DiPietro. Set in the Golden Age of jazz and flappers, Nice Work is a wild ride of high society, bootleggers, mistaken identity, politicians and prohibitionists in 1927 Long Island, New York.

Max Mooney (Jimmy Winter) delivered his demanding role with easy, gracefully tapping and schmoozing his way as a wealthy playboy discovering love. Bryce Bundens (Cookie McGee) was a comedic standout of the production. Bundens' over the top accent, bold movements, and perfect comedic timing made Cookie the craziest yet most lovable butler imaginable. Tara Moon's (Estonia) stunning voice and hilarious stumbling made numbers like "Looking for a Boy" a moment to remember.

Jeannie Muldoon's (Charlotte Kailec) eccentrically theatrical character matched her impressive dance moves. Kailec shared great chemistry with Mark Hengel (Duke Mahoney), the pair a wonderfully contrasting duo.

The impressive ensemble never crowded the stage, even with over 50 members sharing the spotlight, and remained high energy and brightly smiling throughout the numerous show-stopping numbers, from "Sweet and Lowdown" to "Fascinating Rhythm." Different ensembles, including the Featured Dancers to the Vice Squad, delivered complex choreography with grace and humor.

Technical elements further enhanced the production, from an elaborate set and an efficient set crew. The orchestra played demanding numbers, never missing a beat, and adapted seamlessly to minor sound difficulties.

Conestoga's landed a huge success with their delightfully "delishious" production of Nice Work If You Can Get It!