Review: THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS Energizes and Brings Its Audience to Its Feet!

When I walked out of the theater after watching THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS, I felt light on my feet. I had a big ol' smile on my face and positivity in my heart. I simply wanted to share the news of this up-and-coming show to everyone I knew! I feel that all could enjoy this show, whether they are young, old, female, male, a regular theatre attendee, or someone who has never attended a live theatre show before. I believe this since it had everything that I want in a blossoming show: upbeat music, spectacle that makes use of developing theatre technology, hilarity with modern jokes, and fresh themes that are timely and relevant. I was thoroughly impressed by this new piece of theatre, and it is truly special that this show, which I believe has a future across the U.S. if not on Broadway someday, is premiering here in Houston, Texas.

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THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS, based on the 80s movie of the same name, is a brand-new musical and premiere taking place at the Theatre Under the Stars in Houston. The uniquely fun book is written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, and the show has an incredibly joyous score created by Michael Mahler and Alan Schmuckler. Other than a bit of confusion when it came to the chronology of the show about halfway through the production, I felt that this tale was well-composed and told. The story follows a young man named Brantley Foster. He is a stereotypically Midwestern, happy go-lucky guy from St. Cloud, MN, and he moves to New York City to become a junior executive at Prescott Industries, an international conglomerate. However, when Bradley gets to New York, he is thrown into the temp pool, and the business world is not anything like he imagined it to be. Then, Brantley accidentally hears that the company is going to be closing the factory in his hometown, so he jumps into action and takes drastic measures in order to stop this from happening. Will he be able to reach his goals, save his hometown, and stay true to himself? Well, you will have to come to the show and find out!

First and foremost, the depth of talent within the actors onstage was astounding. Every performer brought their own strong energy and character, making the show full of life. I would like to first give my compliments to Ashley Blanchet, who played the role of Christy Lockhart, a coworker of Brantley Foster. In my opinion, her voice was the most stunning in the show, and her confident yet empathetic air made you want to root for her character in every turn. Ben Frankhauser, playing as none other than the lead role of Brantley Foster, also lead the show with his vocal talents as well as his ability to play such a charming character. His comedic physicality always brought on more chuckles in the audience, and the kindness he portrayed always made my heart glow.

Gemini Quintos played Lester Mann, a mousy coworker of Brantley Foster, and she was honestly my favorite character to follow. Every time Lester had an interaction, I could not help but relate and giggle at her quick lines here and there. It was also a good time watching her character develop throughout the events of the show. Her character was not only well-performed, but also well-written.

Many other characters also caught my eye. Susan Koozin does an incredible job presenting the role of Joann Foster, Brantley's mother. This mother character is full of comedic gold, and I feel that many of us can relate with the phone conversations that Brantley has with his mother throughout the show. Additionally, Regina Hearne played such a hilarious assistant named Sylvia Plotkin, and she is a part of a plot twist that I never saw coming!

Sally Wilfert and Brian Mathis as Vera Prescott and Piers Johnson respectively are a great comedic duo who start the show off strong with their welcome as the husband-and-wife who own Prescott Industries. Their development as characters...or lack of development.... teach the important lesson that everyone should be honest to themselves and the ones that they love. By being truthful and having real, empathetic relationships with others in life, you will find happiness, the true measure of success.

I want to be sure to give my compliments to Jeffrey D. Kmiec, the scenic design, and Ryan O'Gara, the lighting design, on the work that they did to create the settings of the show. Throughout the show, we find ourselves at different offices, in various homes, at an outdoor party, and on a boat. Projections in addition to furniture pieces generated these different places seamlessly and convincingly, and I was greatly impressed by the use of this modern technology to bring the musical to life.

Dan Knechtges did a fantastic job leading this production as both its choreographer and director, and Houston's Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) truly kicked off their 2022/2023 season with a BANG by introducing this regional premiere of the new musical. I am greatly looking forward to the rest of this company's star-studded season, too, which includes the classic shows Mary Poppins, Chicago, Legally Blonde the Musical, and Rent. Dan Knechtges and TUTS is truly gifting Houston with Broadway-caliber shows in its own backyard!

There is only one more week of THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS shows left, so buy your tickets NOW here!

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