WPCNR ON THE AISLE. Theatrical Review by John F. Bailey. April 25, 2008 UPDATED With Pix: As the blue hues of designer Herrick Goldman’s virtuoso lights transform WPPAC’s magic “How to Succeed” set into soaring corporate windows above a city street, revealing Matt Wilson as J. Pierrepont Finch reading “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” White Plains Performing Arts Center patrons buy into this rip-roaring madcap screwball comeback of the 1961, 1,417-performance comedy musical– one of only four dramas to win a Pulitzer Prize, running from 1961 through 1965.
Matt Wilson cajoles, plots, and powers his way to the top — hilariously — in WPPAC’s revival of “How to” Photos, Courtesy, White Plains Performing Arts Center
Friday evening’s White Plains Performing Arts Center revival of “How to Succeed” proves once a great show – always a great show – for all time.
The ingratiatingly obsequious Matt Wilson is an endearing, conniving, plotting charmer of a young man who uses a book to advance from mailroom to top of a company – and delivers comic lines with a comedian’s timing.
The Big 4 of “How To:” (Counter Clockwise from lower right): Patricia Noonan as Rosemary, Matt Wilson as the ubiquitous Finch, Nicholas Wyman as the stuffy Mr. Biggley, and Jill Abramovitz as Hedy
The wholesome brunette Patricia Noonan, in her third WPPAC assignment, is the marriage-minded young secretary, Rosemary. She wants to live with Finch in “New Rochelle” where she’d be Happy to Keep his Dinner Warm. She dazzles the stage every scene she’s in. The young lady’s rich coloratura soprano voice, is multi-faceted as a diamond. Her Doris Day (there’s a time-reference) innocence fills the little theatre from her first song Keep His Dinner Warm – to her comic enthrallment with her Paris Original – (an ode to the sheath dress of the 50s), to her duet with Mr. Wilson on Rosemary – a satiric send-up of Maria from West Side Story.
Ms. Noonan has a Mermanesque sense of the comedic. She demonstrates this when she sings of the slinky cocktail dress she is wearing to the company reception for the new Advertising V.P. – only to be shocked when she sees the other ladies of the stenopool. We’ll let you guess what that shock is – and the resultant mass number by all the secretaries in a hissyfit is a hoot.
Nicholas Wyman is J.B. Biggley, the president of World Wide Wicket Company, filling the Rudy Vallee role of the original production wonderfully, from his argyle socks, to his golfer’s outfit – to his pomposity. Highlight of the first act is when Wyman and Wilson mug and sing the Grand Old Ivy fight song – Groundhog, Groundhog. Finch uses “college ties” to ingratiate himself with Mr. Biggley. Wyman reminds me of Gale Gordon (of Our Miss Brooks) in his demeanor and certain CEOs we’ve seen at press conferences around town.
Lurking like a Woody Allen type as a roadblock to Finch’s trip to the top is Ron DeStefano , as Bud Frump, the nephew of President Biggley who sees Finch as a threat. A running story line in the show is how Frump, (like the Coyote in a Road Runner cartoon), attempts to embarrass and discredit Finch only to have Finch cleverly turn the tables in surprise ways. DeStefano’s smarmy plotting, furtive as a weasel, creative as a lawyer, and his cackling and delight in his own cleverness is hilarious.
Ms Noonan is finally brought together with Finch for their first date in front an elevator bank in a clever number, It’s been a Long Day. Here Mr. Wilson, Ms. Noonan and Linda Gabler as the wisecracking steno mother hen, Smitty, sing what Finch is thinking, what Rosemary is thinking, and what Smitty is thinking – and it is so real life about how you thought about dating in the office fifty years ago—well it was just cute. The timing and character interplay on this song is just spot-on.
I cannot say enough about Director Eleanor Reissa’s whipping this cast into delivering crowd-pleasing big production numbers in this show and they come out you one after another in the hour and 20 minute first act — that grabs your attention, never lets you go, and keeps that smile on your face. A tip of the CitizeNetReporter fedora to choreographer Lorin Latarro for the inspiring high energy spectaculars. j
Just when you think there can be nothing left in Act Two to entertain – just a quick wrap up — you’re wrong.
The show is worth seeing alone for the first big super number, No Coffee. That’s Ron DeStefano as the icky Bud Frump, Finch’s rival discovering there’s “No coffee!?!” This repawta remembers the coffee wagon — do you?
The next number that’s a must see is The Company Way, where Finch is taught the company philosophy by the mailroom head. This number about toeing the company line is followed by A Secretary is Not a Toy.
You must remember — A secretary is not a toy! Jill Abramowtiz as Hedy makes her grand entrance in Act One.
This ode, relative to today’s sexual harrassment worries, comes about after the appearance of the redoubtable, brassy blonde Hedy Larue, overplayed perfectly by the unique Jill Abramovitz – who just happens to have been promised a job by Mr. Biggley.
Abramovitz has some of the best crackup lines in the play and she delivers them perfectly getting laugh out loud guffaws from the audience.
As Finch washes the windows of the Worldwide Wicket Company, the narrative voice of David Hyde Pierce speaks wisdom to the young man, and How to Succeed succeeds immediately and carries Mr. and Mrs. White Plains through 2 hours and 20 minutes of laugh after laugh, spiffy Bob Fosse-inspired choreography, and wonderfully devious subplots in a typical American Corporation brought the sharply-directed, enthusiastic, high energy ensemble a 2 minute standing ovation.
The musical original starred Robert Morse as Finch and Rudy Vallee as President J.B. Biggley, and is staged through the magic of lighting, and an intricate sliding set that creates a 21st century corporate style. There is a contemporary feel that explores the culture of the American Corporation of 50 years ago set in the New York of today. Though the costumes are distinctly circa 1960. The musical could start a fashion trend.
“How to” creates it all just as yours truly remembers it: the executive washroom, the stenography pool, the personnel department, golf, old school ties, competition among executives, are spoofed with laugh-out-loud jokes and realities of the business world are lampooned in outstanding ensemble numbers. The spirit of get-ahead of the other guy competition is demonstrated – creating the “innocent” strive for success style of the 50s and 60s.This is farce, satire, and pokes fun unmercifully at the corporate life.
The period anthropology of this musical is superbly demonstrated by the executive washroom scene where Mr. Wilson sings a love song to himself – I believe in you – while his 3-button suit competitors sing “Got to Stop that Man.” In it Wilson compares himself to the “Slam, Bang Tang of a shaker of gin and vermouth” – for you young whipper snappers out there – that is a martini.
It is so rare to see a musical where every scene is a keeper.
The second act tops the first with Ms. Noonan being persuaded to “keep the Prince” – (Finch) – when she decides to leave him because he is not paying attention to her now that she is his new secretary.
The Cinderella Darling number with Ms. Gabler, Ms. Noonan, Delaine Andrzejewsi, Jessica Bircann, Stephanie Nicole Carter,Elinor Harrison, singling “Hallelujia” at key times, will make women of today flinch, but it captures the 50s attitude that women had in business very right on. By this time Finch has worked up to Vice President of Advertising and is about to make a major presentation.
Shortly thereafter Hedy gives the President an ultimatum that she either gets a better job because “she’s stranded in the steno pool with no big fish to bail me out.” (With those killer legs of hers, she is worth bailing out). This takes Biggley aback and here in this picture, Mr. Wyman delivers a rich baritone love song Love From a Heart of Gold that is another highlight.
From a repawta who was an advertising man in another life, I salute Mr. Wilson’s presentation of the big ad campaign to promote Worldwide Wickets on television that Mr. Wilson delivers – making great laugh use of a balloon. The use of advertising jargon in this musical is spot-on. Take it from a man who was there in the 60s when advertising was king.
This leads into a spectacular television commercial featuring Hedy, Ms. Abramovitz as the irrepressible incendiary Blonde – The Worldwide Wicket Treasure Girl – a dance number by the Wickers and Wickettes with a terrific emcee played with Ed Herlihee–Bert Parks panache by Doug Trapp. I have to say all the players deliver excellent cameo bits and are to be commended.
In the finale, with Finch’s job on the line due to an indiscretion by Ms. Abramovitz on live television, Finch once again saves the day.
There is one great continuing bit throughout this show: whenever Finch succeeds, a mastery of light and timing trick guarantees a laugh every time. You’ll discover this gem when you see the show.
You’re going to like the way you feel after this show.
Sets – Executive Producer Jack Batman’s scenic designer Vicki Davis has created an ingenious sliding set combining with Lighting Designer Herrick Goldman’s mastery of hues to create men’s rooms, mailrooms, boardrooms, spectacular cityscapes, all with the urban style of today. What Goldman has done with the lighting is spectacular. This is the magic of theatre at its best – something sorely missing during the first three years of WPPAC’s existence, that Mr. Batman, the man with the unlimited expense account is bringing back big time.
White Plains Performing Arts Center’s “How to” is easily their best production they have ever mounted. Jack Batman the new Executive Producer on a rescue mission here continues to put out a professional Broadway style product that more people should be coming out to see. Either the marketing mix is not right, they’re advertising in the wrong places or the wrong way, or the Westchester audience is not as sophisticated as it likes to think it is. This is good stuff!
You have through May 11 to catch this great revival. For less than the price of a tank of gas you can see Broadway in White Plains. Every darn bit as good. It’s a show you can take the children to. The laughs are non-stop. It’s funnier than any movie you can see next door. You never feel bad once. I cannot remember when I have laughed more at a show. See it. Tell your friends.
You’re gonna love the way it makes you laugh.
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying runs through May 11 at White Plains Performing Arts Center. It runs 2 hours and 20 minutes with a 20 minute intermission. For the box office, go online to www.wppac.com, or call 914-328-1600