How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead’s 1952 book.

The musical opened at the 46th Street Theatre on Broadway in October 1961, running for 1,417 performances before its last show on March 6, 1965. The show won seven Tony Awards, the New York Drama Critics Circle award, and the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. In 1967, a film based on the musical was released with many of the original cast. A 1995 revival was mounted at the same theater as the original production (now Richard Rodgers Theatre), and ran for 548 performances. It starred Matthew Broderick and Megan Mullally.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is as story about the triumph of the common man. The hero is a window washer named J. Pierrepont Finch. After Finch happens upon a book entitled ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’, he decides to begin his rise up the corporate ladder. Following the instructions of the book, Finch lands a job in the mailroom at the World Wide Wicket Company. With the help of his handy book, Finch quickly gains promotions and outsmarts his rival, Frump – who also happens to be the boss’s nephew. Finch then gains the love of Rosemary, a secretary at the company. In the end, however, after Finch’s ad campaign goes awry, the book can no longer help him. He is forced to rely on his own wits and performs so admirably that he is promoted to Chairman of the Board.