Learn 'How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,' Thursday At LMHS

Next Thursday is opening night for the Lower Merion High School Players' production of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, the first musical in the school's brand new auditorium.

How To Succeed tells the story of an ambitious window washer, J. Pierrepont Finch, who works to climb the corporate ladder armed with a How To book.  The musical is currently on Broadway, with Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe playing J. Pierrepont Finch.

The musical premiered on Broadway in 1961 and was revived in 1995 with Matthew Broderick as the star, then revived again in 2011.  Now, it comes to Lower Merion High School.

"We wanted to open with a big show to start everything off, and we thought How To Succeed would really showcase the auditorium," said Players president and Lower Merion High School senior Elena Behar, who also plays Smitty in the musical.

How To Succeed is set in the Mad Men era of the early 1960s, and Behar said it's interesting to compare that time and its social mores to now. 

"There's sexism—[explored in] the song "A Secretary Is Not A Toy," where the men say a secretary's pad 'is to write in, and not spend the night in,'" Behar said. "[The play is] cute and clever and it showcases ambition and how far that can get you within a company."

"It's definitely been the most ambitious set design I've worked on," said senior Bobby Lundquist, the play's scenery crewhead.  "It's been a lot of fun because it's a really big production, with a lot of cool features like elevated platforms and moving elevated doors. It also looks really cool for the audience—so I think everyone will be pretty surprised."

In addition to an outstanding set, Behar said the audience has some other things to look forward to as well.

"The costumes are amazing, the lighting is fabulous—basically, it's a brand new school and great facility, combined with really ambitious students who are very talented," she said.

How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying plays Nov. 17, 18 and 19 at 7 p.m. in Lower Merion High School's auditorium. Tickets are $10 general admission and $5 students and seniors.

Cast List:

J. Pierrepont Finch -- Leo Koorhan
Bud Frump -- Robert Gaudio
Rosemary Pilkington -- Jess Hoffman
Hedy LaRue -- Karen Hafter

J.B. Biggley -- Josh Harper
Smitty -- Elena Behar

Miss Jones -- Avery Super
Gatch/chorus -- Gio Urteaga

Mr. Bratt/chorus Adam CN
Mr. Twimble/Mr. Wally Womper -- Jesse McCarthy

Miss Krumholtz/chorus -- Mara Pliskin
Ovington/Company Policeman/chorus -- Eli Newschaffer

Jenkins/Second Man/chorus -- John Clark
TV Announcer/chorus -- Albert Harris

Tackaberry/Third Man/chorus -- Rob Katz

Toynbee/chorus -- Dylan Dagenais

Davis/Man/chorus -- Parker Laren
Peterson/chorus -- John Snyder
Matthews -- Joseph Leonard
Girl/Wickette/Paris Original singer/featured dancer -- Mira Leese

2nd Girl/Wickette Paris Originals singer/chorus -- Sarah Kerman
featured dancer -- Rosa Saleh

featured dancer -- Maia PH

featured dancer -- Lexi Silow

Chorus:
Rachel Fishbein

Stephanie McKendrick
Keisha Deeds

Ashley Reusoa

Bella Anton

Terri Quiambao