Auditions

AUDITION INFORMATION & SCHEDULE

Reading Civic Theatre

presents

Frank Loesser and Abe Burrows

“HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING”

Power, sex, ambition, greed… it’s just another day at the office.

Perusal is going to be held on Tuesday, Jan, 26th at 7:30 pm.

— AUDITIONS  7:30PM —

held at the rehearsal hall – 126 North 10th Street, Reading

Wed, JANUARY 27 – singing entire cast
Thurs, JANUARY 28 – dancing and reading

Sun. JANUARY 31 at 1 p.m. – call backs as needed

Staff:
Director Les White
Music Director Scott Piergrossi;
Choreographer Jennifer Parker Scott

Synopsis

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a witty satire on the methods and mores of Big Business
in general, and in particular, on the wiles and ways of Big Business on Park Avenue.
This is the story of a young man who climbs to a position of great power and of the young girl who loyally hangs on
during his climb and eventually wins him. The young man’s successful climb is due not to hard work and not to
any of the ancient prescriptions for success. He gets ahead by following the simple rules in a book called “HOW
TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING”. And it turns out that these rules work.
All along the way our hero, J. Pierrepont Finch, runs into various obstacles and overcomes them like a modern,
comic Siegfried. There’s the office wolf, the office party, the board meeting, the dangerous secretary, the other
executives who are out to stop him, and of course, the big boss himself, J. B. Biggley.
Meanwhile, Rosemary Pilkington, the girl who loves him, keeps on loving him and is, as she says in a song,
“Happy to keep his dinner warm while he goes onward and upward”. Our heroine finally lands her man, although
there are moments when her firm resolution is shaken. Our hero slays dragon after dragon until he finally emerges
triumphant.

Characters

J. PIERREPONT FINCH – Aspiring, scheming, devilish, brash young man. Solos and duets (range D to high G)
“Brotherhood of Man” (measures A-G)
ROSEMARY PILKINGTON – Pretty secretary. Dreams of marrying Finch. Solos and ensembles (range low A to
3rd space C) “Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm” (reprise)
J. B. BIGGLEY – Fiftyish, blustering boss of World Wide Wicket Co. Solo (range C to E)
“Love from a Heart of Gold” (measures A-E)
SMITTY – Rosemary’s sidekick, also a secretary. Solos (range A to Bb)
“Been a Long Day” (measures A-E)
HEDY LaRUE – Sexy, well endowed. Biggley’s secretary friend. Solo (range C to E)
“Love from a Heart of Gold” (measures E-end)
MISS JONES – Biggley’s 1st sergeant-type secretary. Fiftyish. Solo (range Ab to high Ab)
“Brotherhood of Man” (measures P-V)
TWIMBLE – Head of mail room for 25 years. Does it the “company way”. Sings (range C# to Bb)
“The Company Way” (measures A-I)
WALLY WOMPER – President of the board. Well past retirement age. Sings (range D to E)
BRATT – Personnel manager of WWW Co. Strong, executive type. Sings (range D to D)
“A Secretary is Not a Toy” (measures A-D)
MISS KRUMHOLTZ – Another beauty in the executive pool. Sings (range B to Bb)
BUD FRUMP – The boss’s jealous, spiteful nephew. Solos (range D to G)
“The Company Way” (measures A-I)
GATCH, JENKINS, TACKABERRY, PETERSON, TOYNBEE, OVINGTON – Executives.
Voice of the book – Voice reading over the sound system.
Chorus – “The Company Way” (reprise I-end)

There are several dance numbers. Both male and female dancers are needed.
All persons auditioning for either Lead roles or to be part of the Ensemble will have to perform both a vocal and a
dance movement audition