How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
at Stone Bridge High School

Reviewed on April 18, 2015

Nikki Amico
West Potomac High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Loudoun

"If at first you don't succeed, try and try again." Or, don't try at all. J. Pierrepont Finch embraces the latter as his mantra for chasing success. In "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," Finch brings the audience along his strategic ascension to the top of the business ladder. In Stone Bridge High School's production of this screwball comedy, the cast and crew successfully captured the satire of 1960s business culture with witty performances and animated storytelling.

"How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" is a popular show among theaters across the country. It began its journey in 1952 as a book of the same name by Shepherd Mead. The musical opened on Broadway in 1961 and went on to win seven Tony Awards and the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The show has since been revived twice, once in 1995 and again in 2011. The musical was also turned into a movie in 1967, starring the original lead actors from the Broadway production.

The show follows J. Pierrepont Finch, a young window washer, on his quest to become a business executive with as little effort as possible. With the help of the self-help book entitled "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," he begins his journey at the World Wide Wicket Company. Along the way, he befriends a demure secretary, Rosemary, who eventually wins his heart. However, his schemes gain him not only success, but also foes, namely Bud Frump, the boss's nephew, who is determined to bring Finch down. Under these circumstances, a simple social ladder climb turns into a series of amusing escapades.

The quality of this particular show relies heavily on the abilities of the actor in the role of J. Pierrepont Finch. Luckily for this production, Ethan Ludwick's charismatic portrayal of the character was spot-on. With consistent energy, strong vocal technique, and endearing facials, his dynamic performance won the audience over and carried the show. His budding romance with Rosemary (Kathryn Detweiler) was a joy to watch, as both actors captured the giddiness and chemistry of young love. An especially enjoyable, high energy number was "Grand Old Ivy" between Finch and J.B. Biggley (Kyle Broderick). The combination of these two animated actors on stage made for a show stopping number that provoked an uproarious audience response. Another standout performer was Caleb Rouse as Bud Frump, Finch's nemesis, whom we loved to hate. Rouse utilized his precise comedic timing and bold choices to bring depth to an otherwise shallow character. Sydney Fox as Hedy LaRue also succeeded in adding dimension to a dimwitted character with specific physicality and commitment to her role.

The seamless scene changes allowed for the show to be fast-paced and maintain momentum. The stage crew, led by Rachel Wright, maneuvered the set, which represented a machine, with the swiftness of a mechanical assembly line. The industrial theme was also apparent in the choreography by Maddie Fulham, which used the ensemble in numbers such as "Coffee Break" to depict gears and machinery. The student orchestra also assisted the show's pacing as it was consistently in synch with the actors and demonstrated skillful musicianship. However,the sound crew (Maggie Duke and Victoria Burnum) succeeded in both preventing the orchestra from overpowering the actors and maintaining audible mic volumes free of errors throughout the show.

Stone Bridge High School undoubtedly succeeded in putting on a charming production; however, their effort was far greater than that of J. Pierrepont Finch. This thoroughly enjoyable performance caused the entire audience to become involved emotionally, whether they liked it or not!

Annelise Jones
Centreville High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Loudoun

Not everyone wants to do things the "Company Way," but Stone Bridge High School's performance of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" this past Saturday was done the excellent way.

The musical opened on Broadway in October of 1961 and ran for 1,417 performances, winning seven Tony awards and the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. "How to Succeed…" is about an ambitious window washer, J. Pierrepont Finch, who reads a book that assists him in his journey of rising to the top of the corporate ladder. Through clever remarks and coincidental encounters, Finch weaves his way into the good-graces of each corporate leader, including the company president, J. B. Biggley. However, Biggley's nephew, Bud Frump, is determined to bring Finch and his sneaky schmoozing down.

The lead role of J. Pierrepont Finch was effectively played by Ethan Ludwick. Ludwick used cartoonish hand gestures and crisp movements to display a physicality that characterized Finch as the witty yet devious office worker he was. J. B. Biggley was wonderfully portrayed by Kyle Broderick. Broderick's stage presence was always strong and he used a consistently commanding voice to reaffirm his spot above his employees. Broderick's dedication to his character was evident through his excellent use of comedy. The audience was enraptured by his ability to squat down and walk like a groundhog, perform multiple back handsprings, and comically squeal an octave too high for a company president. In the musical number "Grand Old Ivy," Ludwick and Broderick performed together to create hilariousl facial expressions and body movements that left stitches in the audience's sides.

Other strong presences in Stone Bridge's performance include Caleb Rouse who played Bud Frump. Rouse's portrayal of Frump as a bratty, spoiled child translated exceptionally well to the audience. He utilized comical facial expressions and outstanding line delivery to create a characterization that left you wondering why you're rooting for the enemy. In addition, Maggie Good put forth a brilliant depiction of her character Miss Jones. Good consistently maintained her middle aged, reserved character even when she wasn't central in the scene. Although, when it came time for Miss Jones to shine in the song "Brotherhood of Man," Good became a dazzling performer that blew the audience away with her ability to sing and her enticing physicality.

The costumes for this show were fantastic. Each and every character had their own individual costume (not including, of course, the "Paris Original" dress) that were enough alike to create the office feeling from the 1960s, with men in suits and women in bright dresses. Despite the old age makeup being a little too thickly applied, the secretaries' makeup was delightful and not harsh. The hair styles in this show were excellent as well, with each character having a unique one. The hair stylists did a fantastic job of maintaining the hairstyles throughout the show. With these elements combined, Stone Bridge's costume, hair, and makeup team did an admirable job of maintaining the show's time period.

Stone Bridge High School's performance of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" was a truly memorable one with strong actors, costumes, and an overall comic vibe that shined through and left everyone laughing.

Sophie Frey
Tuscarora High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Loudoun

Stone Bridge High School invites you to sit down and relax, as they show you the ins and outs of the machine known as the workforce in, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." With the help of his nifty guidebook, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," J. Pierrepont Finch takes on the business world, hoping to quickly rise to the top. But can his book prepare him for the daily scheming and drama in the office?

Debuting on Forty-Sixth Street Theatre on Broadway in October of 1961, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" ran for 1,417 performances. It went on to win seven Tony awards, the New York Drama Critic's Circle and the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. After an unfortunate closing, the show reopened in 1995 at the same theater it began. Closed for the second time, the show used Ponty's wit and charm to revive itself for the fiftieth anniversary in March of 2011, staring Daniel Radcliffe.

Ethan Ludwick's performance as the optimistic and charismatic J. Pierrepont Finch was engaging. His quirky, fun energy really shined during the number ‘Grand Old Ivy,' where he, as well as J.B. Biggley, played by Kyle Broderick, sang the humorous Groundhog Fight Song. Kyle Broderick was also highly committed to his role as the tycoon of World Wide Wickets, and professionally continued to act even when there was a problem with the sound system or dropped lines. One of the most enjoyable parts was how easy it was to dislike J.B. Biggley's immature, spoiled nephew, Bud Frump, who was played by Caleb Rouse. Rouse's physicality and comedic timing took this pesky antagonist's schemes to knock Finch out of the company (World Wide Wickets) to another level. Sydney Fox's performance as the ditzy, pretty girl, Hedy LaRoue, was also successfully played as Fox came across as the stereotypic dumb blonde without being overly exaggerated or annoying. There was the occasion when the ensemble slipped out of character or did not know the choreography in full, but their playfulness and solid frozen positions were no slight of task. All together, the cast was energetic and played off of each other's reactions well.

Every detail of the show was well thought out, including the time period accurate costumes. The old age makeup felt slightly unnatural, but the rest of the makeup was well done and the various accurate hairstyles were notable.

One heard no extraneous noise from the microphones, which was excellent. The stage crew also did well with leveling the microphones so that one voice did not stand out among the rest. It was obvious that the scene changes had been worked on relentlessly for they were extremely quick, but this impeccable speed sometimes sacrificed silence. All of their hard work helped transition one scene to the next, keeping the audience engaged in the story.

Like any machine, The Running Dog Production's performance of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" had a few hitches, but provided quick, fun entertainment to those who attended.