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| Dance number from Maltz's production of How To Succeed in Business |
Here I thought my days as a reviewer would be on a long hiatus
but as a Maltz subscriber we were invited to see a streaming version of their
about-to-open musical, How to Succeed in
Business Without Really Trying by Frank Loesser. As the show was already scheduled to go into
previews but had to be postponed, instead the musical was staged with a
four-camera setup, and a skeletal audience (presumably mostly Maltz staff) “giving
patrons a thrilling and unique perspective of the musical just as it was
performed.” While this limited streaming event ends March 29, the show itself
will be rescheduled and all ticket holders will be given the opportunity of
seeing it live.
Although we have seen “live” performances of musicals on
TV, quite recently PBS’ repeat broadcast of the enjoyable 2015 English version
of Sound of Music, this is my first
attempt to review a streamed show. Streaming
may be part of the permanent future of the theatre, not that it will shut the
doors of live performances – it never will – but I’m all in favor of streaming
the productions of regional theatres on a pay per view basis, giving us the
opportunity to see regional performances we cannot otherwise attend. But there
are complicated permissions and union arrangements to make that happen. Credit goes to Maltz for solving those
obstacles on short notice, albeit for limited distribution.
The COVID-19 crisis is going to change everything,
permanently, perhaps some of it for the better, such as streaming of regional
production as suggested above. But
societal change, especially in its attitudes towards work and sexism, was
already well underway.
One of the most changed environments already is indeed
the office. The Maltz production is a
classic Frank Loesser musical which satirizes office life in the 1960s. Office life doesn’t quite exist that way
anymore but it is still an intense social environment. COVID-19, and the resulting quick adaption of companies having many of their office employees work from home, is going to make further
inroads into what once occupied most of our working hours.
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| 'Coffee Break' from How to Succeed in Business |
So, it is ironic that rather than seeing and poking fun
at the office of the past, on a live stage, we can now watch live stage in the
comfort of our homes. Which brings up another interesting topic, how different
is it from a filmed version? The answer
to that question could probably fill a book, but a filmed version endeavors to
capture verisimilitude, whereas the taping of a stage version has all the
earmarks of live theatre other than that important missing link of the
interaction between actors and the audience, one feeding off the other. In other words, bring me live theatre any day
BUT when that is impossible, bring me streaming.
Frank Loesser was cast off by his family – his older
brother a concert pianist – as they deemed Tin Pan Alley an unsuitable
profession for their son. After failing
to write hit songs, he migrated to Hollywood and eventually became one of the
most prolific studio songwriters, writing so many memorable songs now classics
in The Great American Songbook, such as “I Don’t Want to Walk Without You,”
“Heart and Soul,” “On a Slow Boat to China,” “Two Sleepy People,”“Baby, It’s
Cold Outside,”“No Two People,” and “Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year”
He only wrote four Broadway musicals, with, of course,
his best known work being Guys and Dolls,
arguably one of the best musicals ever. How to Succeed in Business Without Really
Trying (1961) was written towards the end of his career. By then he was considered one of the giants
of Broadway’s “Golden Age.”
I remember seeing the movie version in the late 1960s
with Robert Morse, enjoyable but not really memorable. So I was looking forward to seeing Maltz’s
stage version, knowing how well this theatre group does with precisely this
kind of musical.
Indeed, the streaming version breathes much needed life
into the work with such great enthusiasm (film is incomparable). The choreography
by Rommy Sandhu (known for work regionally across the country and on and off
Broadway) brought out much of the humor in all the numbers especially “Coffee
Break,” "A Secretary is Not a Toy, and "Paris Original.” He was
assisted by Dennis O’Bannion who was in the ensemble and served as Dance
Captain. The dancing and twenty one very talented actors /singers under the
astute direction of Andy Sandberg (an award-winning director, writer, and
Tony®-winning producer), make Maltz’s production a hit.
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| Sam Bolen as J. Pierrepont Finch |
The play traces the rise of J. Pierrepont Finch, who follows
a handbook that shows him how to climb the corporate ladder from window washer
to the Chairman of the Board of the World Wide Wicket Company. Sam Bolen is infectiously loveable as Finch
with great comic timing and pleasant voice.
The “handbook’s” voice over is by a local TV meteorologist, Glenn Glazer,
who added that perfect authoritative instruction to Finch and for the audience’s
enjoyment.
Finch’s love interest, secretary Rosemary Pilkington, is dazzlingly
played by Clara Cox, with a voice and personality to match the best on
Broadway. One is just mesmerized by her
presence in any of her scenes. I loved
her number, ironically entitled (because of COVID-19), “New Rochelle,” in which
she fantasizes about married life to Finch.
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| Clara Cox as Rosemary Pilkington |
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Chuck Ragsdale, Sam Bolen,
Blake Zolfo
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Supporting roles without exception were robust but
special mention goes to Blake Zolfo who portrays Finch’s nemesis, Bud Frump,
who also happens to be the nephew of the boss, aptly named J.B. Biggley who is
hilariously played by Johnnie Hawkins. JB’s
mistress, Hedy La Rue is performed in classic dumb dizzy dame style by Leslie
Donna Flesner.
Interestingly, this is one of the few musicals in which
there is no real love song, the closest being Rosemary’s reprise of “I Believe
In You,” heavenly sung by Clara Cox. But
it is first sung by J. Pierrepont to himself in the mirror of the men’s room
while his male coworkers are standing at the urinal their backs to the audience
in shadow. It underscores the satiric
nature of most of the songs in the show, but the great Frank Loesser, with the perfect
marriage of music and lyrics, makes the other songs memorable, such as "Company
Way," "Brotherhood of Man," "A Secretary is Not a Toy, "
and of course “I Believe In You.”
Scenic designer Adam Koch’s work and sound designer’s
Marty Mets are adequate for this streaming version and probably more impressive
when the live production is staged. Lighting designer Kirk Bookman was at a
disadvantage as this was really a preview production and probably spots and
actor’s placement were not yet in sync and were not designed for cameras
zooming in. But all in all the tech team did great work on short notice and for
a different medium.
Outstanding period costumes by Leon Dobkowski give the
show an authentic sixty’s look while musical director Eric Alsford’s eight person
orchestra is Broadway quality.
This was a very successful and unexpected streaming experience
and kudos to Andrew Kato and his team for making this happen and bringing some
respite from the horror of COVID-19 through LIVE theatre.
Photos by Zak Bennett
