Scripted For Success
In the entire “golden era” of Broadway musicals, from the ‘40s through the ‘60s, only seven musicals received unqualified rave reviews from all seven members of the New York critics’ corps.
“How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” which opens tonight for a two-week run at the Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre, was one of them.
“Ecstatic” is the only way to describe the reviews that came out the morning after the Broadway opening night on Oct. 14, 1961.
“Whichever white-winged angel watches over theatrical enterprises was sitting on top of the 46th St. Theatre Saturday night, joyously blasting away on a solid gold trumpet,” wrote Norman Nadel of the World-Telegram & Sun.
Maybe Nadel got a bit carried away, but he and the rest of the critics were convinced that Frank Loesser had finally matched his “Guys and Dolls” success of 11 years earlier.
“This splendidly sardonic account of Big Business is an example of perfect musical comedy construction, swift, sharp, jam-packed with characters and incident and clearheaded as it moves unerringly through an interesting and funny story,” wrote John Chapman of the Daily News.
“How to Succeed” is the story of J. Pierpont Finch, a yuppie before the term was even invented. He’s a charming young corporate climber who will do anything to get that promotion. In the buttoned-down early ‘60s, this view of Big Business was refreshing, naughty and even shocking. The show’s social satire is what the critics most loved.
“Not a sincere line is spoken in the new Abe Burrows-Frank Loesser musical, and what a relief that is,” wrote Walter Kerr of the Herald-Tribune. ” ‘How to Succeed’ is crafty, conniving, sneaky, cynical, irreverent, impertinent, sly, malicious and lovely, just lovely.”
Howard Taubman of the New York Times said, “Let Wall Street and Madison Avenue tremble as the rest of us rejoice.”
It won the Pulitzer Prize as well as seven Tonys. The big star of that production (and the subsequent movie) was Robert Morse; the just-finished Broadway revival starred Matthew Broderick.
The Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre’s production stars Frank Jewett. This is the second show of a four-show season for this professional summer-stock theater.
By the way, the only other musicals to receive unanimous raves on Broadway were “My Fair Lady,” “The Music Man,” “South Pacific,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Wonderful Town” and “Brigadoon.” Talk about good company.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo
MEMO: The Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre’s production of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” opens tonight and continues Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Aug. 1-3. All shows are at 8 p.m. except the Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are $19, $14 for students, available by calling (800) 4-CDA-TIX or (208) 769-7780. All performances are at North Idaho College’s Boswell Auditorium.