“How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”

**** As a young actor, I had the privilege of auditioning for Abe Burrows for the role of J. Pierpont Finch in his “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”. I did not get the role, but in reading the script felt that this was a play that I wanted to do. Many ( and I mean many) years later, the Buffalo Grove Players did the show and I was honored to play the role of J.B. Bigly, the President of the World Wide Wicket Company ,where it all takes place. Every time I see a production of this play, it takes me back to another time and place, bringing a smile to my face. If you note that I am in a positive mode, that is because the students at Northwestern ( who very soon might be those you see on any or all of Chicago’s stages) did one terrific job.

How to bring a play to life but with changes that will keep the story alive, yet, fit today’s world? I think Christopher Michael Richardson did a wonderful job in creating a 2026 version of this musical with a book by Burrows with Jack Weinstock & Willie Gilbert and the music by Frank Loesser. This is a longer than normal musical with the first act going on and on ( one hour and 23 minutes) and the second act at one hour after a 20 minute intermission. While it is long in numbers, it moves well and the entire cast helps to keep the tempo where it should be.

The set is designed to allow for quick changes, but the missing part of the story is that when it begins, our “hero” J. Pierrepont Finch ( an incredible performance by Gabby Gutierrez) is supposed to be a window washer and reading a book “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying” which leads to the opening number. By the way, the book is narrated or represented by  Richard Kind ( a character actor that most of us  have seen in a movie, on a stage or on TV- he does a great job of conveying the message). The window washer part comes up late in the show, so without seeing it at the onset, the impact of the later mention is confusing.

The cast is solid with a few things that bugged me, but that is probably because I have done the show ( in the original version). I was quite impressed with Rosemary (Kennedy Naseem is charming) and Smitty ( Marcus Dowd gave it a different interpretation, and it worked). J.B. Biggly ( one of my favorite roles) is played by Ibrahim Khan and is fun to watch. I would have preferred his first few office scenes be played other than a window on the wall. I think some of the audience missed some very cute “shtick” and I have to say the Hedy La Rue ( Azela Brown) was terrific. I would have adored working the role with her as my Hedy.

Jonah Mensch does a cute Bud Frump, J.B.’s nephew who runs to mommy every time something goes awry, and while he is no Charles Nelson Reilly, he has his own twist on the character and creates a true Frump of his own! Chrissy Martin’s choreography is slick and her use of characters in dancing while changing the set is cute. The ensemble is unique in that play male and female roles and fill the stage with great vocals and dance- I think they should all get mentioned: Len Ruark, Rose Bicas-Dolgen, Sophie Simon, Noah Cooper, Helena Ayas, Elebetel H. Negusse, Lily Ramras, Mary Kate Tanselle, Alec Westland-Hurwitz, Yehuda Zilbersteine, Celeste Shuman, and Mia Van De Mark as  Miss Jones, who truly shows her stuff during “Brotherhood of Man”.

If you have never seen this masterpiece, you will certainly be entertained. The music is fun, the people are wonderful, the story is one that will make you do some thinking and most of all, for three hours, you will escape from the world we live in today, for those wonderful years of the 1960’s.

“How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” will continue thru March 1st with performances as follows:

Sunday, 2/22 at 2 p.m.
Thursday, 2/26 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, 2/27 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, 2/28 at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, 3/1 at 2 p.m.

Ethel M. Barber Theater
30 Arts Circle Drive

847-491-7282

www.wirtz.northwestern.edu