Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette Part Company With Broadway's How to Succeed in Business...

By Adam Hetrick
01 Jan 2012

Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette
Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette
Photo by Ari Mintz

Ten months after scaling the corporate ladder of the 50th anniversary revival of How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Daniel Radcliffe and his Tony-winning co-star, John Larroquette, play their final performances Jan. 1 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

How to Succeed marked the Broadway musical debut of the "Harry Potter" and Equus star, who took on the central role of J. Pierrepont Finch opposite Emmy winner Larroquette ("Night Court") in his Tony-winning performance as World Wide Wicket Company president J.B. Biggley.

Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Ashford (Parade, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Promises, Promises), How to Succeed began previews Feb 26, 2011, and officially opened March 27, 2011. The jazz-flavored musical features a score by Frank Loesser with a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert.

"I've always had an attraction to musicals," Radcliffe told director-choreographer Rob Ashford in a special interview for Playbill. "I've always been taken to see musicals by my parents, who love musicals, and I grew up with them. Every long car journey that we'd go on, we'd be playing either the [cast album] of Company or Chicago, which used to terrify me. I used to be so scared of those women. I still am!"

If Radcliffe was terrified, it didn't show. The actor proved his mettle as a Broadway dancer, gamely strutting his way through "Grand Old Ivey" and "The Brotherhood of Man." As Ashford told Playbill, "I wanted to only tease the audience with his dancing in the early part of the show, and then let Dan as a performer do his big bit when the character of J. Pierrepont Finch does his as well. I think it's the combination of Finch and Dan Radcliffe scoring in the same moment that's exciting for an audience to watch."

Radcliffe will be succeeded by "Glee" star Darren Criss, who will play a three-week engagement as Finch (Jan. 3-22), prior to the arrival of pop star Nick Jonas, who takes over the role beginning Jan. 24.

Emmy, Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner Beau Bridges will step into the role of Biggely beginning Jan. 3.

The principal cast also features 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.

For tickets, priced $52-$132, phone (212) 239-6200 or visit Telecharge. The Al Hirschfeld Theatre is located at 302 West 45th Street.