Playbill.com broke the news April 11 that the new cast album of How to Succeed would hit brick and mortar stores June 7 on the Decca Broadway label. Grammy-winning record producer Robert Sher produced the album of the Frank Loesser score. Representatives have just announced that the in-store arrival will be preceded by the May 24 digital release. The album was recorded April 11.
Radcliffe ("Harry Potter," Equus) stars as J. Pierrepont Finch, the ambitious window washer with executive dreams, in a cast that also features Emmy Award-winning actor John Larroquette ("Night Court") as World Wide Wicket Company president J.B. Biggley, Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tammy Blanchard (Gypsy, "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows") as office bombshell Hedy La Rue, Christopher J. Hanke (In My Life, Cry-Baby) as Bud Frump, Rose Hemingway (Parade at the Mark Taper Forum) in her Broadway debut as Rosemary Pilkington, Rob Bartlett (Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors) as Twimble/Wally Womper, Mary Faber (American Idiot, Avenue Q) as Smitty, Ellen Harvey (Thou Shalt Not, The Music Man) as Miss Jones and Michael Park (Middletown) as Bert Bratt.
The How to Succeed ensemble features Cameron Adams, Cleve Asbury, Tanya Birl, Kevin Covert, Paige Faure, David Hull, Justin Keyes, Marty Lawson, Erica Mansfield, Barrett Martin, Nick Mayo, Sarah O'Gleby, Stephanie Rothenberg, Megan Sikora, Michaeljon Slinger, Joey Sorge, Matt Wall, Ryan Watkinson, Charlie Williams and Samantha Zack.
Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Rob Ashford (Parade, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Promises, Promises), How to Succeed officially opened on Broadway March 27 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The musical has a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert.
The original 1961 production earned seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Author and Best Score, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Robert Morse earned a Tony Award for his performance as J. Pierrepont Finch. How to Succeed was last revived on Broadway in 1995 starring Tony winner Matthew Broderick and Megan Mullally. Cast albums preserve both the original and 1995 revival productions. For tickets, priced $52-$132, phone (212) 239-6200 or visit Telecharge. The Al Hirschfeld Theatre is located at 302 West 45th Street.
