NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT

Summer at the Musical Comedy Theatre promises to be hot: in the middle of July, senators and socialites, policemen and adventurers, lively waitresses and cheerful showgirls, as well as several cases of bootleg gin will find themselves in the same boat at the premiere of the incredible musical by George and Ira Gershwin, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”.

Whatever happens in the world, whether you are poor or rich, whether you know what tomorrow holds for you or are open to any adventure, the best occupation invented for people is love, the heroes of this incredible story proclaim. So, America in the first third of the 20th century – the Great Depression has not yet arrived, but the prohibition is already in effect – a time of gangsters and bootleggers on the loose, quick rises and precipitous falls, disappointments and hopes. Each new day has to be lived to the fullest, grabbing luck by the tail on the fly. And here the most unexpected turns of capricious fortune are inevitable, especially if you are a girl who has to earn her own living, even if it is by smuggling...

The outstanding American pianist and composer, jazz genius, author of the famous "Rhapsody in Blue", "An American in Paris" and the opera "Porgy and Bess" George Gershwin (1898 - 1937) never wrote the musical "Nice Work If You Can Get It". Together with his younger brother Ira Gershwin, who wrote the lyrics for the vocal numbers, he created several works for the stage, which in different years had success on Broadway, for one of which the brothers were awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the first time in history that a musical production was awarded. A compilation of Gershwins' compositions written at different times based on an independent play by another playwright, entitled Nice Work If You Can Get It, saw the light of day on Broadway only in 2012 and was a huge success.

The premiere of the Russian version of the musical on the big stage of the Musical Comedy Theatre is being prepared by a star international team, headed by director Cornelius Balthus (Netherlands), who has created such legendary productions as "The Vampire Dance", "Hollywood Diva" and "Miss Saigon". The artistic embodiment of the performance is in the hands of Japanese artist Yoko Seama ("Miss Saigon", "Circus Princess"). The choreographer, who will make the entire troupe of the musical tap dance and dance the swing and foxtrot that were fashionable at that time, is Vanni Viscusi (Italy). The musical director and conductor of the performance, which will open the amazing world of jazz for the audience, is Alexey Nefedov.

Cornelius Baltus: “Our production is the first appearance of [this] musical in Russia. In 1892, relatives of the future outstanding American composer George Gershwin moved from the Russian Empire to America. And now I understand that the return of his music to his homeland is the special meaning of our performance.
In addition, finally in 2012, the compositions of two brothers - George and Ira Gershwin - acquired the finished form of a theatrical work of a light, almost operetta genre. And this is the version from which we, together with the artist, choreographer and the entire Russian team, are pushing off, creating our performance.
After the large-scale and very materially detailed productions that I staged at the Musical Comedy Theatre, knowing about Yoko Seama's love for minimalism, I wanted to make a performance in which the most complete content would be hidden behind the external laconism. Visualization is incredibly important to me, including in the context of the era - the 1930s - in which the action of our story takes place."

The performance "A Nice Job If You Get It" is presented by agreement with Concord Theatricals, Ltd. on behalf of Tams-Witmark, LLC (www.concordtheatricals.co.uk)
Original production by Moss Hart

Original Broadway production by Scott Landis, Roger Berlind, Sonya Friedman Productions, Roy Furman, Standing CO Vation, Candy Spelling, Freddy De Mann, Ronald Frankel, Harold Newman, John B. Platt, Raise the Roof 8, Taconkiet Wirawan, William Berlind/Ed Burke, Carol L. Haber/Susan Carusi, Buddy and Barbara Freytag/Sanford Robertson, Jim Herbert/Under the Wire, Emanuel Azenberg and the Shubert Organization.

Worldwide copyrights to the music of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin for this production are licensed to the Gershwin Family.

Music and Lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin
Book written by Joe DiPietro
Based on material by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse
Russian text by Mikhail Bartenev

Stage Director – Cornelius Baltus (Netherlands)
Musical Director and Conductor – Laureate of the Russian Federation Government Prize Alexey Nefedov
Artist – Yoko Seama (Japan)
Choreographer – Vanni Viscusi (Italy)
Lighting Designer – Denis Solntsev
Animation Designer – Ilya Starilov
Chorus Master – Olga Serebrova
Assistant Director – Oksana Antonenko
Assistant Costume Designer – Varvara Pletneva
Assistant Ballet Master, Ballet Captain – Alexander Kanev
Assistant Ballet Master for Tap Dance – Denis Aizin
Assistant Musical Director for Vocals – Elena Bulanova
Chief Accompanist – Olga Bronskikh
Accompanists – Mikhail Efremov, Igor Mazharov, Margarita Fomicheva
Assistant Directors – Svetlana Vorontsova, Svetlana Zakharova