BWW Reviews: HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING at Conejo Players Theatre

How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying at Conejo Players Theatre

Did it succeed or can one have too much of a good thing?

The old adage of "too much of a good thing" comes into play with the current musical offering at the Conejo Players Theatre.

On paper, a musical with tons of able-bodied males to cover the roles, a fully orchestrated CD to accompany the singers, a full chorus, and a colorful set all may add up to a successful evening of theatre.

However, with this production it does not. Here is where too much of a good thing is too much:

With so many cast members in every group number and large scenes, the small space of the stage gets overrun, overwhelmed, and cluttered rather quickly. What can be a uniquely choreographed number or recreation of the Broadway revival choreography or a multiple-harmony production number, with so many people, quickly turns into a cluttered mess of random movements and sloppy cutoffs. Less is more.

A beautifully orchestrated CD in some theatres can, not only, be a unique opportunity to hear the full orchestrations but also can be a budget saver. However, played on system that consistently makes mistakes and varies in volume (so much so that it dropped out at the beginning of "Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm" forcing Rosemary (Randi Saxer Redman) to sing and dance the entire number acapella).

And a colorful set is fresh and eye catching. But with un-choreographed scene changes it lends itself to sloppy transitions and actors getting caught onstage when the lights come up.

The devil's in the details, folks.

Aside from that (and some mugging and random characterizations from certain actors the made even an audience member next to me let out audible sounds of questioning) many performances were spot on and deserve to be mentioned:

In the role of Miss Jones, Amie Woolweber is a strong and formidable presence on stage. She gave a reason for every move and moment to make this role a memorable one.

Every time Timorah Brown (Hedy LaRue) sashayed on the stage, the stage lit up. Considering the stage was dark most of the time with the production's light design, Brown's energy and electricity as a performer was much needed and much appreciated.

The role of J. Pierpont Finch gave both Robert Morse and Matthew Broderick TONY Awards and Conejo's Finch (Ryan Driscoll) comes pretty darn close. Occupying the stage fully and with a beautiful singing voice he is, alas, a one-trick-pony....and adorable pony...but still it would have been nice to see a few more colors. He was, however, a joy to watch and listen to and the audience loved him.

How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying plays at the Conejo Players Theatre, 351 S. Moorpark Rd. Thousand Oaks, CA 91361-1008. The production runs March 13th through April 12th, 2015 Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 8:00pm; Sunday at 2:00pm (No performance April 5th [Easter Sunday]). Ticket prices: $18/$20. To order tickets, go online to www.conejoplayers.org or call the Box Office at 805.495.3715

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