Wendy is playing Miss Jones in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at Bloomington Civic Theatre. This is a really fun show set in 1961. It follows the rise of a window washer as he becomes a vice president at World Wide Wickets (WWW!!! in 1961!!!). Of course, I am completely biased, but Wendy does a wonderful job as Miss Jones, the executive secretary to Mr. Biggley. She has a great solo in the song The Brotherhood of Man at the end of the show.
The show got a great review in the Star Tribune. The two leads (Joshua Larson as J. Pierrepont Finch and Jennifer Conway as Rosemary) make a great couple. Other standouts include Michael Fischetti as J. B. Biggley, Edward Williams, Jr as Bud Frump, Jodi Tripp as Smitty, and Allison Rupp as Hedy La Rue. But I honestly feel like I should list the entire cast here! They all give such a strong performance.
The actual material, while being quite fun, is dated. Wisely the director, John Command, does not try to update it. The story is of a mythical age of innocence that existed between the end of World War II and the Kennedy assassination. This is not a show by which to examine gender, race, or class politics without losing its charm. And charm is the reason for this show.
There is a certain "historically informed" performance practice at work here. Both John Command and the Assistant Director, Chrissy Fournier, were dancers in the original touring company of this show. Command, Fournier (as choreographer), as well as Musical Director Anita Ruth, were part of Chanhansen's production of this show--which was in turn its first production ever.
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