The producers of the 50th Anniversary production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING are excited to announce that Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist Anderson Cooper will make his Broadway debut as the voice of the narrator in the new production directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford. Anderson Cooper follows in the footsteps of Walter Cronkite who was the voice of the narrator in the 1995 revival of the musical starring Matthew Broderick. Starring Daniel Radcliffe as J. Pierrepont Finch, John Larroquette as J. B. Biggley, Christopher J. Hanke as Bud Frump, Tammy Blanchard as Hedy La Rue, Rob Bartlett as Twimble/Wally Womper, Mary Faber as Smitty, Ellen Harvey as Miss Jones, Michael Park as Bert Bratt and introducing in her Broadway debut Rose Hemingway as Radcliffe's onstage romantic interest Rosemary Pilkington, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING begins previews Saturday, February 26, 2011, at 8pm, at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) and Opens Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 5pm.
Anderson Cooper is the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning anchor of CNN's "
Anderson Cooper 360", a provocative alternative to the typical network evening newscast, airing weeknights at 10 p.m. ET. Cooper joined CNN in December 2001 and served as CNN's weekend anchor before moving to prime time in March 2003 following the war in Iraq. In addition to reporting for CNN, Cooper, an award-winning journalist, also provides reports for CBS's "60 Minutes." Cooper has also signed with Telepictures Productions to host and produce a one-hour daily daytime talk show to be distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. The show will begin airing this fall. Dispatches from the Edge, Cooper's memoir about covering the South Asia tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and other news events, topped the New York Times Bestsellers List and other bestseller charts. Before joining CNN, Cooper was an ABC News correspondent and host of the network's reality program, "The Mole." He anchored ABC's live, interactive news and interview program, "World News Now," as well as providing reports for "World News Tonight," "20/20" and "20/20 Downtown."
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING is directed and choreographed by Tony and Emmy Award-winner
Rob Ashford, has music and lyrics by Academy Award and Tony Award winner
Frank Loesser, and a book by
Abe Burrows,
Jack Weinstock and
Willie Gilbert, based on the book by
Shepherd Mead with a cast of 29 that includes
Cameron Adams,
Cleve Asbury,
Tanya Birl,
Kevin Covert,
Paige Faure,
David Hull,
Justin Keyes,
Marty Lawson,
Erica Mansfield,
Barrett Martin,
Nick Mayo,
Sarah O'Gleby,
Stephanie Rothenberg,
Megan Sikora,
Michaeljon Slinger,
Joey Sorge,
Matt Wall,
Ryan Watkinson,
Charlie Williams and
Samantha Zack. The creative team for HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING includes
Derek McLane (Sets)
Catherine Zuber (Costumes),
Howell Binkley (Lighting),
Jon Weston (Sound),
Tom Watson (Hair),
Doug Besterman (Orchestrations), and
David Chase (Music Director and Arranger). The 50th Anniversary production of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING is produced by
Broadway Across America (
John Gore,
Thomas B. McGrath,
Beth Williams),
Craig Zadan,
Neil Meron,
Joseph Smith,
Michael McCabe,
Candy Spelling,
Takonkiet Viravan/Scenario Thailand, Two Left Feet Productions/PowerArts, Jen Namoff/Fakston Productions,
Hilary A. Williams,
HOP Theatricals, LLC/Paul Chau/Daniel Frishwasser/
Michael Jackowitz,
Michael Speyer -
Bernie Abrams/
Jacki Florin -
Adam Blanshay/TBS Service.
With the aid of a trusty self-help book "How to Succeed in Business" wily window washer J. Pierrepont Finch enjoys a riotous rise up the corporate ladder. Will Finch's unorthodox business practices at the World-Wide Wicket Company get him in hot water with the head honcho J.B. Biggley, and jeopardize his romance with secretary Rosemary Pilkington? With a hilarious book and beloved score by
Frank Loesser, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING is packed with hit standards such as "I Believe in You," "Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm," "The Company Way," "Been a Long Day," "Rosemary," and "Brotherhood of Man."
Tickets for HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING range from $52 - $132, and are available at the
Al Hirschfeld Theatre box office and at Telecharge.com (212-239-6200). The playing schedule from February 26 through March 27 is as follows: Monday through Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm. Beginning March 28 the playing schedule is as follows: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm and Sunday at 3pm. Please note there will be no 2pm matinee performances March 2, or March 9.
