Interview: HOW TO SUCCEED's Chris Dwan Talks TUTS' Production and How to Succeed (By Really Trying)

From Neverland to a concrete jungle, Chris Dwan is having a pretty good year.

Fresh off his Broadway debut in FINDING NEVERLAND (literally, it was a couple of months ago) and days from taking the lead in Theatre Under the Stars' production of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, Dwan joined us to talk about his busy year, how he relates to the corporate-climbing J. Pierrepont Finch, and how to succeed (by really trying).

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Do you remember the first time you encountered HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING? What was your first impression?

Chris Dwan: Yes! I was 15 when I saw my high school's production of HOW TO SUCCEED and, honestly, it's been one of my absolute favorites ever since. Seeing this show was a big factor for me in pursuing a career in acting. I thought the story was exciting and dangerous, the music was seductive and jazzy, and the characters were stylized but lovable. It definitely was an influence in my love for musical comedy too.

Your character - the scheming, corporate climber J. Pierrepont Finch - is one of the quintessential characters of American theater. If you were head of your own World Wide Wicket-type company, is he the kind of man you'd want to hire? How do you see him?

Chris Dwan: I see a lot of myself in Finch - he's eager, determined and never gives up. At first glance you can also label him as a scheming and manipulative backstabber (both of which can be true!) but with a deeper look you learn to realize he's never truly dishonest. In a company where no one really knows what they're doing he's able to convince coworkers that his brilliant idea was theirs. He doesn't lie, steal, or cheat his way to the top which makes the character enjoyable to watch. You root for him. So yes, I would hire him, but I'd sleep with one eye open!

How do you approach playing him?

Chris Dwan: Finch is a very headstrong person so right away I wanted to work with the script. He has a great talent for persuasion which comes with the great challenge of long, wordy speeches throughout the show that I had to wrap my head around. The memorization is hard, but as soon as you can think like Finch the rest comes quite easily.

An obvious concern with a show that opened in 1961, based on a book released in 1952, is that it will be dated. But one of your co-stars, Felicia Finley, recently described this production as having "a swagger to it; it's savvy." How do you describe this production?

Chris Dwan: I absolutely agree with Felicia. HOW TO SUCCEED doesn't feel dated at all because it was written like a sitcom - fast paced, clever and hilarious. Our production definitely has some swagger. While the gender roles in the show could be a bit outdated (Mad Men-style 1960s business world) the women characters in our production all outsmart the men. It's a really fun dynamic to play with on stage and adds another dimension to our show.

Now a little about you! With all the hindsight and perspective of about two months, tell me about your experience doing FINDING NEVERLAND. I know it was your Broadway debut - was it everything you thought it would be?

Chris Dwan: Yes - everything and more! FINDING NEVERLAND was such a special show. On top of being my Broadway debut, the experience was incredible and the people were so special. We became such a close family and I got to learn from some fantastic performers - Kelsey Grammer, Matthew Morrison and Laura Michelle Kelly, just to name a few. Performing eight times a week isn't something you learn how to do in school so it was definitely a challenge at first, but our audiences' responses were overwhelming. It was a beautiful reminder of the power of theater and the responsibility we have as artists.

You've had training in different areas and experience in different mediums - how do you think this range helps you as a performer?

Chris Dwan: To me, storytelling is storytelling regardless of the medium. All of the greats have been seen both onstage and onscreen, in musicals and in plays, in comedies and in tragedies, so I think versatility is a great skill. From a young age I learned to never limit myself. Do I prefer one above another? Yes. Do I work more in one area? Yes, but with this range you can pull from all these different worlds to create the best realization for whatever you're working on in the moment.

And finally, what is the best advice anyone has ever given you?

Chris Dwan: The best advice I've ever gotten was to never stop learning. Any time I see a show, or take a class, I really try to soak up all I can. You can learn just as much from a show you enjoy or a teacher you love as you can from a show you dislike or a teacher you don't jive with. Also, as an actor I rarely get to "play" an actor, so I always suggest keeping your other interests and passions alive so you can bring other aspects of your personality to the world of acting.

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING opens Tuesday, October 25 and runs through Sunday, November 6 at the Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. For information, call 713-558-8887 or visit tuts.com. $38.50 to $121.

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