The Rose Valley Chorus and Orchestra (RVCO) opened its spring show, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, April 18 at Strath Haven Middle School, 200 S. Providence Road, Wallingford PA. The show continues through April 26.
The cast, led by Stage Director Chris Fitting, was lively and playful. The 24-piece orchestra, under the baton of Music Director, Florrie Marks, provided a lush full sound, and the dancing, choreographed by Caity Moon, was energetic and entertaining.
While How to Succeed, which made its Broadway debut in 1961, may seem outdated with its stereotypical portrayal of male bosses and female secretaries, but Fitting and the players did a great job of poking fun of office life in the ‘50s. This Tony Award-winning musical, with its score by Frank Loesser, includes memorable numbers including the comical "Coffee Break," the energetic "Brotherhood of Man" and the ballad, "I Believe In You." Its witty book, by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, earned the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was based on a book by Shepherd Mead.
The parts were well cast, with principal leads Chris Rubino as J. Pierrepont Finch and Allie Beik as Rosemary Pilkington leading the way. Excellent singers are a hallmark of RVCO shows, and this musical was no exception. Rubino’s delivery of the well-known song, “I Believe in You” was beautiful as was Beik’s reprise of the song.
Other notable performances included Jeff Swafford as bombastic J.B. Biggley; Donna Winquist as the sexy, naive Hedy LaRue; and Aaron Kirschner as the annoyingly feckless Bud Frump. Long-time member and nonagenarian, Alfred Hurd, used his mellifluous and distinguished voice to narrate the business handbook Finch uses to learn all the tricks of the trade. The men’s ensemble, and Andrea Broido as Miss Jones, did a fantastic job with the rousing number, “Brotherhood of Man,” and the women’s ensemble made the most of the clever bit in “Paris Original.”
Ellen Kecskemethy Tillman’s costumes, and some ladies with beehive hairdos, took the audience right back to the 1950s. The creative set design by Mark Teseny was well handled by the stage crew staff, including the frequent use of elevator doors.
Shows continue Wednesday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 25 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, April 26 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.rvco.org/ or purchased at the door with cash, check, or a credit card. Seating is general. For more information, call 484-981-9108.