How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying

Opens on March 26,2011 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre and runs until January 6, 2012.

The orginal play opened on October 14, 1961 at the 46th Theatre and closed March 10, 1965, running 1,417 performances. It won 7 out of 8 Tony nominations and a N Y Drama Critic Circle Award. In 1962 it won a Puitzer prize for drama.

In 1967 a film was made based on the play with many of the orginial cast recreating their roles.

The 1995 revival opened on March 2, 1995 and closed July 14, 1996 at the same theatr e(now the Richard Rogers Theatre). It ran 548 performances. Matthew Broderick (J Pierrepont Finch) won a Tony award his role. The play was nominated for best revival but lost to Showboat.

The 2011 production stars Daniel Radclif (J Pierrepont Finch), John Larroquette ( J.B Biggley), Rose Hemingway (Rosemary Pikington), Tammay Blanchard (Hedy La Rue) and Christpher J Hanke (Bud Frump). Anderson Cooper as the voice of the narrator.

The play is about a window cleaner J Pierrepont Finch) whose life is dictated by the book he is reading "How To Suceed in Business" The scence opens with him going up the building in a scaffle like seat reading the book. The narrator tells what he is reading. On a fluke chance Finch lands a job in the company WWW. Various chacters add to the plot. J. B, Biggley his boss. The only way J.B. can relax is to knit on the sly. His mistress Hedy La Rue a not to bright wana be actress starts work as a secretary at the company. Bud Frump his wife's nephew works in the mail room. He crys wolf to his mother when he wants something at the office. His mother then calls her sister whom in turn gets her huband to do what Bud wants. Rosemary Pikington a secretary in the companyis int love with Finch. J Pierrepont works his way thru each chapter on the way to the top.

The cast is made up of nine principal actors and twenty ensemble actors.

Daniel Radcliff does not have a strong singing voice be he's able to carry a song and does it well. He's very nimble on his feet and enjoyable to watch.

John Larroquette works well in the comedy routine. As the play progresses he seems more relax and falls into the role comfortably.

Rose Hemingway, Tammy Blanchard and Christopher J. Hanke add essence to the play.

Of the twenty esemble actors, one stood out the most. Joey Sorge "Mr. Tackaberry" is a feature ensemble. I founf my self watching him the most. His dance moves, facial expressions are wonderful. He gave emotion to his role and it would be nice if we could see him in a feature role.

The costumes were outstanding especially the women cast members. Catherine Zaber did the costumes. She has won andhas been nominated for several tony awards on various shows she has worked on.

The scenic design works well (done by Deek McLane). The curtain is the outside of the building with other New York City buildings in the background. When the curtain goes up you feel like your inside the buiding you just saw. The stage has three levels. This gives you the feeling you on differnt floors in the building.

The lead actors are contracted to do there roles untill January 6, 2012. A reliable source confirmed that the show will close for three days in July. Warner Brothers is buying the seats to allow Daniel Radcliff to attend the premiere in London of the last Harry Potter movie. It's rumored that it will cost them well over $500,000.

Two well know songs from the musical "I Believe In You" and "Brotherhood Of Man" are still enjoyable to hear after 50 years. After "Brotherhood of Man" finished the audience wouldn't stop applauding.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor