By Heather Lawrence | [email protected]

Quick: think of a George Gershwin song. Whether you came up with “I Got Rhythm,” “Someone to Watch Over Me” or “Embraceable You,” all three numbers and more are included in Sandy’s production of “Crazy for You.” The musical plays July 29-Aug. 13 at the (air conditioned!) Mount Jordan Theater.   

“This is a show that appeals on a very wide array of levels to a broad audience. There’s a lot of singing, a lot of dancing and a light comedy/romance storyline,” said director David Hanson.

“Crazy for You” combines the best of old and new musical worlds. It’s a relatively new show written in the early 1990s using classic Gershwin songs from the 1930s.

“The show combines the Gershwin brothers’ more popular songs with a book from the 1990s. So it’s part recreation of the era and part homage to it,” Hanson said.

The story is about a banker who wants to live out his dream as an actor. When he’s asked by his bank to close down a dying theater in Nevada, he decides instead to put on a show to raise the funds and save it. And of course, he falls in love and has to win the girl.

In addition to well-known songs, the Sandy production has some amazing dancing.

“There is a lot of dancing! Jazz, tap, soft shoe; this is a very dance-filled show. It really is representative of the old Follies shows.

“Then they’ve woven in a really nice story, a classic Broadway story. Guy meets girl, guy falls in love with girl, trouble ensues and they figure it out by the end of the show,” Hanson said.

“Crazy for You” was an immediate and award-winning success when it came out in the early 1990s.

During its introductory season it won the 1992 Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Comedy, and Tonys for Best Musical and Best Choreography and Costume Design. It was also a hit in London winning Olivier Awards in 1993 for its original season and 2012 for the revival.

“I think it’s interesting that there are a lot of people who aren’t familiar with the show. You tell them it’s a story built around Gershwin tunes. Then you start listing off songs and they realize they know them. It’s a bit of nostalgia for people even if they don’t know it yet,” Hanson said.

The two leads in Sandy’s production are Jared Saunders and Makayla Conner. Saunders plays reluctant banker Bobby Child, and Conner plays Polly Baker, a resident of the Nevada town that’s seen better days. When they meet, it’s love at first sight—at least for Bobby.

“We tend to get a lot of the same actors back to Sandy productions time after time. I think it’s a testament to how great it is to work with Sandy, both in the process and the quality of the shows. They put a lot of effort into making these shows as good and as enjoyable for the cast as possible,” Hanson said.

Tickets are available at www.sandyarts.com and range from $8-$15. The show is family-friendly and runs July 29-Aug. 13. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m.

Though Sandy Arts sometimes performs at the amphitheater, they moved this one inside to The Theater at Mount Jordan in Sandy at 9400 S. 300 East.

“We decided to put the show inside so we could enjoy it in an air-conditioned theater,” Hanson said. “But it won’t keep the actors from sweating—they’re acting, dancing and singing their butts off onstage!”