How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Reprise! concluded their 2009-2010 season with Frank Loesser's homage to corporate America HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. In these current times when businesses are failing, this production does not.

The most I REALLY knew about this production was the performance from the 1995 Tony Awards featuring Matthew Broderick and favorite Broadway diva Lillias White. It's a 'classic' musical, as my friend Daniel says, which always makes me think of Oklahoma which ALWAYS makes me think of slitting my wrists. WHO CAN SIT THROUGH THAT SHIT?!

Well, boy was I wrong.

Long story short, this musical is about a guy who wants to climb his way up the corporate ladder and can't take any time to be detoured by slackers, missed opportunities...or love. (Ahh, musicals.) Josh Grisetti stars as THAT guy: J. Pierrepont Finch. He was WONDERFUL. Charming, funny, talented and a great voice. His arch-nemesis, Bud Frump, is played by The Big Bang Theory's Simon Helberg. On one hand he was great, on the other hand it's really a hard role to play because there is NOTHING redeeming about him so in the end you hate the character's guts and in the VERY end, I'm talking curtain call people, you don't want to clap for him 'cause he's such a douche. I couldn't figure out if that was Simon's fault or that he was just the victim of a good playwright.

John O'Hurley was totally enjoyable as the big boss Mr. Biggley. At our performance he flubbed a line and sent the entire scene, actors and audience into hysterics. It was VERY Hairspray's 'Timeless To Me' banter (if you're reading this website I'm assuming you'll know what I'm talking about). I was VERY proud of 'Finch' for being able to hold his own with the big boys and giving us one of the moments and reasons we attend musical theatre. Nicole Parker from MadTV was lovely. I don't really have much to say about it because it's a SUPER whiny-female-in-the-50's-I-have-to-get-married role that I just can't deal with.

With that said: Vicki Lewis, one of my ALL TIME favorites from TV's Newsradio, stole the show as secretary to the stars: Smitty. EVERYTHING she did was hysterically brilliant. Entrances, exits, holds, looks. All of it. She's doing an upcoming version of Funny Girl in Sacramento, that I may just have to go and see.


Here's a clip from the Tony Awards of the 1995 revival:


Although our production didn't have a sassy black woman who sang her ass off, this production worked it's ass off like any good employee who should be promoted does. This is the third production I've see at Reprise! and this one will bring me back for another. Congrats gang. Hopefully our economy will have the perfect happy ending that your production provides.