Nice Work If...: Jessie Mueller to join cast

Tony Award nominee Jessie Mueller will join the cast of the new musical comedy Nice Work If You Can Get It assuming the role 'Billie Bendix' from original cast member Kelli O'Hara on 02 Apr 2013. O'Hara will play her final performance on 31 Mar 2013.

Jessie Mueller joins Nice Work If You Can Get It directly from The Mystery of Edwin Drood where she plays the roles of 'Janet Conover/Helena Landless.' Mueller made her Broadway debut last season as 'Melinda Wells' in 'On a Clear Day You Can See Forever,' for which she received a Tony Award nomination. She also appeared as 'Cinderella' in Shakespeare in the Park's 'Into the Woods.'

In further casting news, Matthew Broderick, who originated the male lead role of 'Jimmy Winter,' has extended his run in the musical and will now perform through to 25 Jun 2013. In addition Blythe Danner has also extended her stay in the show as 'Millicent Winter' through to 28 Apr 2013.

Nice Work If You Can Get It opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre on the 24 Apr 2012, following previews from 29 Mar 2012, and is currently booking through to 31 Aug 2013.

The musical opened to mixed reviews: Mildly entertaining (NY Times); Not as intoxicating as you'd hope" (NY Daily News); Smart, altogether lovely reincarnation of a 1920s musical comedy (Newsroom Jersey).

Nice Work If You Can Get It is set in the 1920's and tells the story of Billie Bendix (Kelli O'Hara), a tough-as-nails bootlegger who meets wealthy playboy Jimmy Winter (Matthew Broderick) on the weekend of his nuptials. Mayhem ensues.

The principal cast currently features Matthew Broderick (Jimmy Winter), Kelli O'Hara (Billie Bendix), Judy Kaye (Estonia Dulworth, The Duchess of Woodford), Michael McGrath (Cookie McGee), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Eileen Evergreen), Terry Beaver (Senator Max Evergreen), Robyn Hurder (Jeannie Muldoon), Stanley Wayne Mathis (Chief Berry), Chris Sullivan (Duke Mahoney) and Blythe Danner (Millicent Winter).

The musical won two Tony Awards: Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Michael McGrath) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (Judy Kaye).

Nice Work If You Can Get It has music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin, with direction and choreography by three-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall.

With a book by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe DiPietro (last season's Tony Award-winning 'Memphis,' for which he won Tony awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score), Nice Work If You Can Get It will feature songs from the Gershwin catalog, and specifically borrows from their 1926 musical "Oh Kay."

The creative team features scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Martin Pakledinaz, lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski and sound design by Brian Ronan.

The musical is produced on Broadway by Roger Berlind, Roy Furman, Scott Landis and Sonia Friedman.

Jessie Mueller

Originally published on

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