Olney Theatre Center to Present HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, 1/29-2/23

How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical with two successful Broadway revivals, will open Olney Theatre Center 76th Anniversary Season playing on the Mainstage January 29 - February 23, 2014.

How to Succeed follows the rise of J. Pierrepont Finch, who climbs the corporate ladder from window washer to high-powered executive with the help of a little handbook called How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.

Jason Loewith, artistic director of Olney Theatre Center, director of Rancho Mirage, co-writer and director of Studio Theatre's recent production of Adding Machine: A Musical, directs the production, his first musical at Olney Theatre Center. Mr. Loewith is joined by Helen Hayes Award-winning Music Director Christopher Youstra and Chicago-based Choreographer Tommy Rapley.

"I'm overjoyed to be in the room with so many talented artists - so many Olney veterans - tackling this hilarious, deeply American musical," said Loewith. "And I'm particularly glad we're launching our 'Classic Series' with How to Succeed, because it demonstrates how timely some of our country's greatest musicals can be."

The cast is led by Sam Ludwig as Finch, who takes Mead's book to heart to make his way to the top of the corporate ladder. This is Mr. Ludwig's first time at Olney Theatre Center since 2008 when he performed in Big River and 1776. DC audiences will recognize him from his performances in Big Nate: The Musical at Adventure Theatre, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris at MetroStage, and 1776 at Ford's Theatre.

Opposite Mr. Ludwig is Angela Miller, making her Olney Theatre debut as Finch's lovelorn secretary, Rosemary. Joining Mr. Ludwig and Ms. Miller are Olney Theatre Center veterans George Dvorsky (Bratt) and Helen Hayes Award-winner Sherri L. Edelen (Miss Jones). Mr. Dvorsky was last seen at Olney Theatre Center as Captain Georg Von Trapp in The Sound of Music and recently played El Gallo in the world's longest-running musical The Fantasticks Off-Broadway. Ms. Edelen, last seen on Olney Theatre Center's Historic Stage as Joan in Dames at Sea, joins the cast of How To Succeed right after starring in Signature Theatre's production of Gypsy. Rounding out the cast are MaryLee Adams, Kurt Boehm, Aileen Goldberg, Colleen Hayes, Ashleigh King, Bryan Knowlton, David Landstrom, Allie Parris, Taylor Elise Rector, Lawrence Redmond, Chris Rudy, Dan Van Why, Harry Winter. How to Succeed is the first show in Olney Theatre Center's Classic Series.

The season has been divided into three different series (Classic, Contemporary, and Family) to allow flexibility of patrons to enjoy the programming they want to see.

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