Broadway on YouTube: The 2012 Tony Nominees: Nice Work If You Can Get It and Once

Today, let's take a look at the commercials for the other two Tony nominated musicals, Nice Work If You Can Get It and Once.  (To look at Leap of Faith and Newsies, click HERE.)

Nice Work If You Can Get It





I am going to assume that there is an ad that touts the show's 10 Tony nominations.  Their banner ads are selling that fact, heavily.  But for now, this "in Previews" version seems to be all that is available (even on their show site).  Anyway, much like the show itself, the ad is old school and mediocre.  The elements of the logo move around - live footage of the full production was probably unavailable - while Matthew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara croon "'S Wonderful" and a voice over tells us that there are 18 unnamed "Gershwin classics" in this show that "musical comedy lovers" will surely love.  And to seal the deal, we are reminded that Broderick returns to musicals for the first time since The Producers, while the enchanting O'Hara comes to us from South Pacific.  These ads remind me of another old fashioned show that had similar ads when TV ads were really coming into their own for Broadway shows.  That show, 42nd Street, ran forever.  Maybe that's what Nice Work's producers are hoping for.  Good luck with that. (C)


Once



Although I prefer the longer original commercial for Once, I can't help but fall in love with the show all over again.  The cross cutting of all the scenes and actors tell you so much about the show - the relationships, the staging, the dancing.  It is clear that the music and the story are intertwined, just as the instrumentation is.  The integration of critical quotes flash by, with the key words lingering ever so slightly, with the money quote from The New York Times showing on a black screen.  And the voice over, reminding us of the show's top number of Tony nominations, as subtlety as the nominations fade in and out of the action.  Best of all, the ad featured Steve Kazee and company singing 2 numbers from the show, including the hit song (and beautifully romantic) "Falling Slowly."  I'm sold.  Of course, I've already had the pleasure of seeing this wonderful show.  I'm pretty sure this ad will get a few more people in the seats at Bernard Jacobs Theatre! (A)

Jeff

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