Spring has arrived, and that means it is time for Northwood’s annual musical. This year, the Northwood Arts Department has decided to perform How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
Stage manager senior Kyndal Hutchinson described the musical as a comedy with a twist.
“It is very funny; there are a lot of hidden jokes in there,” Hutchinson said. “It is really cute, sassy and sarcastic, and has a good mix of everything.”
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, commonly abbreviated to H2$, details the journey of J. Pierrepont Finch, who, with the help of the book How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, rises from window washer to chairman of the board of the World Wide Wicket Company.
Last year, the arts department performed Hairspray for their spring musical.
“It is definitely less familiar to students, but I think it is a little less cheesy,” said Sharp. “Still, it has the same level of comedy and takes place during the same time period as Hairspray.”
The cast list stars freshman Connor Lewis as J. Pierrepont Finch, senior Sean Thompson as Bud Frump, senior Katie Robbins as Rosemary Pilkington and junior Jessica Puckett as Smitty.
Despite an experienced cast, Sharp says there have still been difficulties in preparing for opening night.
“Costumes need to be smoothed over before opening night and all the technical elements need to be put together, which is not something you do at the beginning of rehearsals,” Sharp said. “It’s always pushed to the last week, which is why we call this hell week.”
Hutchinson says the set of H2$, which was inspired by the 1960s, underwent major changes during production.
“We originally had a traditional set with flats, but then we realized that is too much going on, so we thought, ‘Why don’t we make a contemporary set, where it is modern and classy from the 60s,” Hutchinson said.
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying runs Mar. 26 through 28 at 7 p.m. in Benjamin J. Lee Auditorium at Northwood. General admission is $8, and senior citizens and children are $5.
Cast member junior Kaitlyn Jones says opening night cannot come soon enough.
“I am most excited for the nerves that comes with opening night and just for there to be an audience and get in our costumes and finally perform,” Jones said. “The cast is very dedicated and I am very proud of everyone and the hard work they have put into it.”
– By Chloe Gruesbeck
