How to Succeed in Business Without Really
Trying is a musical based on a 1952
book of the same name. The story concerns young, ambitious 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. The musical opened in 1961, running for 1,417 performances,
winning seven Tony Awards, the New York Drama Critics Circle award, and the
1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Act I
J. Pierrepont Finch, a young window cleaner in New York City, reads the
book How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as he works. The
"Book Voice" tells him that he will succeed if he follows the book's
advice. He enters the World Wide Wicket Company searching for a job ("How
To Succeed").
Finch bumps into J.B. Biggley, the president of the company, who dismisses
him to the personnel manager, Mr. Bratt. Rosemary Pilkington, an ambitious
young secretary, helps Finch meet Mr. Bratt. Finch tells Bratt that Biggley
sent him, and Bratt gives him a job in the mailroom, where he works with Mr.
Biggley's lazy, arrogant, and nepotism-minded nephew Bud Frump. Rosemary dreams
of a life with Finch in the suburbs ("Happy to Keep His Dinner
Warm"). The fatigued workers rush to get their coffee break ("Coffee
Break"). In the mailroom, Finch earns favor with the long-time head of the
mailroom, Mr. Twimble, who tells him the secret to longevity at the company
("The Company Way").
Twimble is promoted to head of the shipping department and has to choose
his replacement as head of the mailroom. The book warns not to stay in the
mailroom too long, so Finch recommends Frump instead of himself. Twimble is
reluctant to promote the lazy Frump, but Frump promises to be a good employee
("The Company Way (Reprise)"). Twimble and Bratt are impressed by
Finch's apparent selflessness, and Bratt offers him a job as a junior executive
in the Plans and Systems department, headed by Mr. Gatch.
An extremely attractive but air-headed woman named Hedy LaRue, who is Mr.
Biggley's secret mistress, is hired as a secretary. On her first day of work,
the male employees are instantly attracted to her, but Mr. Bratt warns them
against taking advantage of their employees ("A Secretary Is Not A
Toy"). Finch learns from Mr. Biggley's secretary, Miss Jones, that Biggley
is a proud alumnus of Old Ivy college. In the elevator at the end of the
workday, Rosemary's fellow secretary Smitty helps her and Finch set up a date
("Been a Long Day"). Frump runs into Biggley and Hedy and realizes
their relationship, and he blackmails Biggley into giving him a promotion
("Been a Long Day (Reprise)").
Finch arrives early Saturday morning and sets up the office so it looks
like he has been working all night. Biggley believes Finch's ruse, and Finch
convinces Biggley that he, too, is a proud alumnus of Old Ivy (a
"groundhog"), and they sing the Old Ivy fight song ("Grand Old
Ivy"). Biggley insists that Finch be given his own office and secretary,
Hedy. With the book's help, Finch realizes that Biggley must be Hedy's advocate
and sends her on an errand to Gatch, knowing that Gatch will make a pass at
her. Gatch falls for the trap and is dispatched to Venezuela, and Finch is
promoted to his position as head of Plans and Systems.
At a reception for the new Advertising Department head, Benjamin Burton
Daniel Ovington, Rosemary hopes to impress Finch with her new "Paris
original" dress, but all the other women arrive at the reception wearing
the same dress ("Paris Original"). Frump schemes for Biggley to catch
Finch kissing LaRue in his office, but after LaRue blackmails Finch into
kissing her, he realizes he's actually in love with Rosemary
("Rosemary"). After some farcical complications, Frump and Biggley
walk into the office just as Finch embraces Rosemary. Ovington is forced to
resign when Biggley learns that he is a graduate from Northern State (a
"chipmunk"), Old Ivy's bitter rival. Biggley names Finch
Vice-President in Charge of Advertising. Biggley leaves as Finch and Rosemary
declare their love for each other, and Bud Frump vows revenge ("Act I
Finale").
Act II
Two days later, Rosemary has been neglected by Finch. She decides to quit,
but her fellow secretaries convince her to stay because she's living their
dream of marrying an executive. ("Cinderella, Darling") (In the 1995
revival, this song was replaced with a reprise of "How to Succeed",
with the lyrics suggesting ways in which a woman can get hold of a man's
financial assets).
The book warns Finch that because Vice-President of Advertising is a bad
position, he needs a brilliant idea. Bud Frump slyly tells Finch his idea for a
treasure hunt, which Finch loves, unaware that Biggley has already heard the
idea and rejected it. Finch shares the idea with Rosemary, who tells him that she
will stay with him no matter what happens ("Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm
(Reprise)"). Hedy tells Biggley that she is unhappy as a secretary and is
leaving for California. He begs her to stay and tells her he loves her, and she
agrees to stay ("Love from a Heart of Gold"). In the executive
washroom, Finch gives himself a pep talk while, behind his back, the other
executives and Frump plot against him ("I Believe In You").
Finch presents "his" idea to Biggley: he will hide five thousand
shares of company stock in each of the ten offices around the country and give
a television audience weekly clues as to their whereabouts. Biggley accepts
this idea when Finch explains that each clue will be given by the
scantily-dressed World Wide Wicket Treasure Girl: Miss Hedy LaRue.
During the first television show, Hedy is asked to swear on a Bible that
she does not know the location of the prizes. Hedy panics and reveals the
locations to the entire television audience, which prompts all the Wicket
employees to tear apart the offices looking for them. The book tells Finch,
"How to Handle a Disaster. ...We suggest that your best bet if you are the
cause of the Disaster is to review the first chapter of this book: 'How to
Apply for a Job'."
The executives, including Chairman of the Board Wally Womper, are waiting
in Biggley's office for Finch's resignation. Rosemary again tells Finch that she
will stand by him no matter what ("I Believe in You (Reprise)").
About to sign his letter of resignation, Finch mentions that he will probably
go back to washing windows. Womper is drawn to Finch as he, too, was a window
washer and they both "had a book": Wally's book was a book of betting
records. Finch blames the treasure hunt on Frump, also mentioning that Frump is
Biggley's nephew. Womper is about to "clean house from top to
bottom", when Finch steps in on everyone's behalf. Finch tells the
executives that even though the business world is a place filled with betrayal
and competitiveness, the World Wide Wicket staff is like a family to him
("Brotherhood of Man"). Everyone is spared except Frump, who is fired
because he is Biggley's nephew.
Biggley remains president, Womper retires to travel the world with his new
wife, Hedy, and Finch becomes Chairman of the Board. Rosemary stands by his
side and inadvertently inspires him to aspire for the Presidency of the United
States. Frump gets a job washing windows, swearing revenge against Finch
("Finale").
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