Please sign up for an audition time and fill out audition form and send to jensen@birderstudio.org prior to audition date.

Nice Work If You can get it

ADULT CASTING CALL

Saturday May 10 | 3:30-6:30pm

Dudley Birder Theatre, 123 S Broadway, De Pere, WI 54115

Birder Players will be holding auditions for Adult actors for the

2025 Season fall production of

Nice work if you can get it

Birder Players will present a hilarious screwball comedy, Nice Work If You Can Get It, which pokes fun at the Prohibition era in a clash of elegant socialites and boorish bootleggers, all set to the glorious songs of George and Ira Gershwin. Highlights from the score include “Fascinating Rhythm,” “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off,” “Someone To Watch Over Me,” “Sweet and Low Down,” “Delishious” and the title song. This production will be performed with a live band. 

Directed by Alicia Birder

Choreographed by Anna Allen

Music Directed by Dr. Sarah Parks

Sponsored by Sharon Resch

 Rehearsals are to be held M-Th beginning July 14 through August. Production rehearsals and

performances will be Sept 1-19, with seven performances September 11-21st. (14, 21 TBD)

Auditions will be held Saturday, May 10 at Dudley Birder Theatre, 123 S. Broadway, De Pere.

Auditions will be from 3:30pm-6:30pm.

We are seeking 22 players, (16 and older), to play the roles of 10 Principal and Supporting roles and 12 Ensemble players who also play various features throughout the production.

All characters must sing, dance and act excluding two roles featuring non-singers.

All those auditioning must sign up for an audition time and will be expected to stay for the entirety of the audition. During this time vocal, dance, and acting segments will be held.

For those interested in the non-singer roles, please sign up for the 5:00pm-6:30pm segment of the audition. You will not be required to sing or dance. All others sign up on our Sign-UpGenius 3:30pm options.

Vocal audition | Please prepare a 32-bar selection from a musical of your choice to showcase your range and depth. Selections from the show are acceptable. Please bring a device with your recorded accompaniment on it (3mm jack, lightning, USB-C). A live accompanist will not be available.

Dance audition | Wear appropriate clothing and either character or jazz shoes for a musical theatre dance combination. If you are a tapper, please bring your tap shoes for the tap combination. If you do not have character or jazz shoes, please wear clean, comfortable shoes to dance in.

Acting audition | Cold reads from the script will be held for those interested in the non-singing roles and for those auditioning for specific characters.

For inquiries please contact Jensen@birderstudio.org.

Book by

Joe DiPietro

Music & Lyrics by

George & Ira Gershwin

Synopsis

Set in the 1920s, Nice Work If You Can Get It is the story of charming and wealthy playboy, Jimmy Winter, who meets rough female bootlegger, Billie Bendix, the weekend of his wedding. Jimmy, who has been married three (or is it four?) times before, is preparing to marry Eileen Evergreen, a self-obsessed modern dancer. Thinking Jimmy and Eileen will be out of town, Billie and her gang hide cases of alcohol the basement of Jimmy’s Long Island mansion. But when Jimmy, his wife-to-be, and her prohibitionist family show up at the mansion for the wedding, Billie and her cohorts pose as servants, causing hijinks galore.

Nice Work If You Can Get It Character Breakdown

Jimmy Winter

Principal | Baritone, Tenor

Male principal role and protagonist, is a wealthy playboy, dripping with charm and charisma. Jimmy must sing well, move well (preferably a strong tapper) and is a great character for an actor to enjoy playing with. He is guileless and clueless at times, but always fun and lovable. 

Sings: Will You Remember Me, Do, Do, Do, ‘S Wonderful, Fascinating Rhythm, Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off, Nice Work If You Can Get It, I’ve Got to Be There

Billie Bendix

Principal | Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano

Female principal role. She is a tough, feisty and a streetwise young woman, but with a soft side. This is a role for a singer, strong actor and dancer, (preferably a strong tapper). Billie uses two different accents (American and Cockney), and a range of heartfelt emotions to portray – from tough to smitten to angry to heart-broken

Sings: S’ Wonderful, Treat Me Rough, Hangin’ Around With You, But Not For Me, Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off, Will You Remember me, Someone To Watch Over Me

Cookie McGee

Supporting | Baritone

A fast-talking, wise-cracking bootlegger, Cookie brings much of the comedic gold to this show. Great comedic timing is a real asset in this role. Cookie is a fantastic character for a comic actor to get their teeth into. 

Sings: Fascinating Rhythm, Looking For a Boy

Duke Mahoney

Supporting | Baritone

Cookie’s sidekick. Not the brightest guy around but has a heart of gold. Duke falls crazily, over the moon in love and has his heart broken.

 Sings: Do It Again, Blah, Blah, Blah

Eileen Evergreen

Supporting | Soprano

Daughter of wealthy senator. She is rich and lovely and self-proclaimed finest interpreter of interpretive dance in the world. A funny, at times over-the-top goofy, role to have a ton of fun with. 

Sings: Delishious, I’ve Got a Crush On You

Senator Max Evergreen

Featured | non-singer

U.S. Senator & Eileen’s father. This role is a parody of a career politician. Serious and stern on the surface, judgmental while being immoral himself, and often clueless to hilarious effect. A great non-singing role for a strong actor. 

Dutchess Estonia Dulworth

Supporting | Soprano

Duchess of Woodford. A po-faced, noted prohibitionist and bejeweled dowager, who accidentally drinks too much one day at lunch and becomes humbled and lovesick. A range of acting fun in this role. 

Sings: Demon Run, By Straus, Looking For A Boy, Sweet and Lowdown

Jeannie Muldoon

Supporting | Mezzo Soprano

A dippy chorus girl from Brooklyn on the lookout for a rich husband. Jeannie is impetuous and highly strung, and changes mood in an instant. A touch chorus girl from Brooklyn.

Sings: Sweet and Lowdown, I’ve Got t Be There, Do It Again, Blah, Blah, Blah

Chief Berry

Featured | Baritone

Chief of the Long Island Police Department. Chief Berry tries so hard to be fiercely dedicated to his job but is a gullible soft-heart and bit of a hopeless goof ball. 

Sings: Blah, Blah, Blah, Do It Again, Demon Run, Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off, Delishious Reprise

Millicent Winter

Featured | non-singer

A wealthy matron with great strength and style. Millicent is Jimmy’s mother. She has real presence and is the bearer of the information that provides the ‘big twist’ at the end. A great non-singing role for a strong actor and can double as part of the ensemble until the final scene.

Female Ensemble

Chorus Girls: Olive, Dottie, Alice, Midge, Flo, Rosie (must appear 18-40)

All vocal ranges needed. Must sing and dance (tapping a plus)

General crowd scenes are varied and fun and will utilize a range of acting and singing skills to bring the lovely, full-stage extravaganza vibe to this colorful show. There are some minor roles to be cast among the chorus girls with solo lines to sing.  

DANCERS – Featured in various scenes as Jimmy’s chorus girls and Eileen’s Bubble girls in the bath scene. 

Male Ensemble

Vice Squad: Elliot, Fletcher, Edgar, Floyd, Vie, Slim.

All vocal ranges needed. Must sing and move well.

Estonia’s henchmen and Chief Berry’s Vice squad. They are goofy and funny.

PERFORMANCES: 

Nice work if you can get it

Sponsored by Sharon Resch

SEPTEMBER 11, 12, 17, 18, 19                        7:00pm

SEPTEMBER 13, 20 4:00pm

SEPTEMBER 14, 21 TBD

You must register in advance to audition. (See above)