Stoneham Theatre Stages HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, Now thru 6/7

This spring, Stoneham Theatre closes its 15th Mainstage season with the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical comedy How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Performances run from tonight, May 14 - June 7, 2015.

With a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, based upon the satire by Shepherd Mead, How to Succeed... features great songs like "Coffee Break," "Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm," and "Brotherhood of Man." Originally, it was presented by Cy Feuer and Ernest H. Martin in association with Frank Productions. The Broadway sensation will be directed and choreographed by Elliot Norton and IRNE Award-winner Ilyse Robbins, who previously directed and choreographed 42nd Street and Thoroughly Modern Millie, among others, at Stoneham Theatre.

With the help of a little handbook entitled How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, the lowly but ambitious window washer J. Pierrepont Finch rises to the chair of the board of the World Wide Wicket Company. As he follows the advice of this step-by-step guide, he manages to hilariously get himself into and out of a variety of corporate-ladder-climbing situations in this toe-tapping musical comedy. When Finch falls for the beautiful secretary Rosemary Pilkington, will his handy manual also prove to be a guide for love?

"How to Succeed... is a fun and wickedly smart satirical look at big business. It shows men and women alike trying to climb the ladder. Although it was first produced in 1961, it is still, sadly, so relevant today when we look at corporate politics and Wall Street," says Director/Choreographer Ilyse Robbins. "I am directing the show with a fresh perspective while trying to remain true to the original satire of the piece. The first Broadway production's musical staging was done by Bob Fosse, and while I plan to keep some of his influences throughout, all the choreography is my own original creation. We are using a small stage, a unit set with travelers, and a smaller cast than usual, which pose unique and exciting challenges to work with."

Tyler Bradley Indyck* makes his Stoneham Theatre debut as J. Pierrepont Finch. Romantic love interest Rosemary Pilkington will be played by Ephie Aardema*, last seen at Stoneham as Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Neil A. Casey* will take the role of J.B. Biggley, the ruthless President of the World Wide Wicket Company. Biggley's nephew and Finch's corporate nemesis Bud Frump will be played by Angelo McDonough, an alumnus of Stoneham Theatre's young company. Hedy LaRue, J.B. Biggley's sexy mistress, will be performed by Aimee Doherty*, last seen in Stoneham Theatre's Double Indemnity. Other cast members include: Sirena Abalian, Katie Clark, Nicholas Davis, Sara de Lima*, Russell Garrett*, Laura Graczyk*, Bradley Jensen, Maria LaRossa, Kevin Patrick Martin*, John James Pirroni, Sophie Rich, Robert Saoud*, Nick Sulfaro*, and Ceit Zweil.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying opens on May 14, 2015 and runs through June 7, 2015. Performances are Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3pm & 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. The Press Opening is Sunday, May 17, 2015 at 2pm. There is a post-show talkback on Sunday, May 17, 2015. Tickets are $50-$55. Senior tickets are $45-$50. Student tickets are $15 (with a valid ID). For more information or to purchase tickets, call Stoneham Theatre's Box Office at 781-279-2200, or visit www.stonehamtheatre.org.

Principal Artists:

ILYSE ROBBINS (Director/Choreographer) Stoneham Theatre credits: Directing: Miracle on 34th Street, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Elliot Norton Award - Best Director), 42nd Street (IRNE Award - Best Choreography). Choreography: The Addams Family: A New Musical, The Full Monty, My Fair Lady, The Dinosaur Musical, A Christmas Carol, Dear Miss Garland, A Year With Frog and Toad, and Guys on Ice. Performance: Pam - The Full Monty, Mrs. Eynsford-Hill - My Fair Lady, Joyce/Evie - The Sparrow. Recent area credits include: Direction/choreography: The Little Prince (New Rep), Working (Lyric Stage), Deep Love of Nightgowns (Boston Theater Marathon for Stoneham Theatre), Helen on 86th Street (Wheelock Family Theatre Summer Intensive). Choreography: Brundibar (Underground Railway Theater - IRNE Award nominee - Best Choreography), On the Town (Lyric Stage - Best Choreography - Entertainment World Awards), Christmas Carol (Hanover Theater). Performance: Dessa - Tongue of a Bird (New Rep), Lucy - On the Town (Lyric Stage), Ellen/Sylvia - Love, Faith and Other Dirty Words (Modern Theatre). Ilyse holds a BS in Theater from Northwestern University, certification from the British American Drama Academy, and an Ed.M. from Harvard University. Ilyse is an adjunct professor at Wheelock College, a visiting professor at Brandeis University, and coaches presentation skills and executive presence for Mohr Collaborative. Coming up, Ilyse will direct/choreograph HONK! Jr. for the WFT Summer Youth Intensive and will direct/choreograph Sweet Charity here at Stoneham next season.

TYLER BRADLEY INDYCK* (J. Pierrepont Finch) Stoneham Theatre debut. Since making the big move to New York City, he has opened up a photography studio in Brooklyn where he takes headshots for fellow performers. Tyler was last seen at The Muny of St. Louis as Doody in Grease. Other favorite credits include: Bobby Strong in Urinetown, Freddy in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Link in Hairspray, and Chris in Miss Saigon.

EPHIE AARDEMA* (Rosemary Pilkington) is returning to Stoneham after playing Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street. Broadway: The Bridges of Madison County, Parade (in concert at Lincoln Center). Off-Broadway: Dear Edwina (Edwina). National Tour: Fiddler on the Roof (Chava), The Sound of Music (Liesl). Ephie originated the role of Lucy Honeychurch in the world premiere musical A Room with a View at The Old Globe. Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, PCLO, Goodspeed, St. Louis Rep, North Shore, PCPA, MSMT, Philadelphia Theatre Co, Pioneer Theatre Co, among others. International tap dance champion, Congressional Medal for Outstanding Youth, and youngest-ever graduate of Circle in the Square Theatre School.

NEIL A. CASEY* (J.B. Biggley) Past Stoneham credits include: The Woman in Black, The Violet Hour, The Dazzle, 42nd Street, and My Fair Lady. Neil is a company member of the long-running Boston production of Shear Madness and has appeared in the Washington D.C. production at The Kennedy Center, as well as the Pittsburgh and Sacramento productions. Other credits include the European tour of 42nd Street and a national tour of The Diary of Anne Frank. Other local credits include work at The Huntington Theatre Company in Love's Labour's Lost and The Lyric Stage Company of Boston in The Underpants, Noises Off, When Pigs Fly, Glengarry, Glen Ross, and Assassins, just to name a few. Also, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Boston Theatre Works) and Take Me Out (Boston Theatre Works and SpeakEasy Stage Company). Neil has spent the last few summers working in Pennsylvania at The Mountain Playhouse, where he has been seen in Loot; 42nd Street; Tom, Dick and Harry; Communicating Doors; Run for Your Wife; and She Loves Me; among others. Education: BFA-Niagara University, MFA-The Shakespeare Theatre at The George Washington University.

ANGELO MCDONOUGH (Bud Frump) was last seen in My Fair Lady on the Mainstage in 2010. New York Credits: The Baker's Wife (Gallery Players), Searching for Romeo (NYMF), Quiet Clock: The Musical (Stage 72), Sweet Bye & Bye, and Heaven Can Wait (The York Theatre). He has performed in multiple concerts around NYC at venues such as 54 Below, The Greene Space, and The Cutting Room, as well as readings and workshops. He is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College for musical theater.

AIMEE DOHERTY* (Hedy LaRue) Previous Stoneham credits include: The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, Phyllis in Double Indemnity, and Mindy in The Dinosaur Musical! Aimee recently has appeared as Sandra Bloom in Big Fish at SpeakEasy Stage, The Witch in Into the Woods at Lyric Stage, and Betsy/Lindsay in Clybourne Park at New Century Theater. She is a rotating cast member of Shear Madness at the Charles Playhouse. Television and radio credits include The Makeover (ABC), The Making of a Monster: Whitey Bugler (Discovery), and various radio spots for D'Angelos, Papa Gino's, and the Museum of Science. Aimee received an Elliot Norton Award for Best Actress in Hairspray (Wheelock) and On The Town (Lyric) and an IRNE Award for Best Actress in Nine (SpeakEasy).

*Denotes member of Actors' Equity Association

Now in its 15th season of live, professional theatre in Stoneham, MA, the mission of Stoneham Theatre is to keep the art of professional theatre and dramatic education thriving in the suburbs. Each season, we produce a series of Mainstage shows, present a series of concerts and special events, and run year-round classes, lessons, and fully staged productions through the young company for students in grades 1-12.

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