THE GAZETTE
Wednesday, January 29, 2014 g
Page B-7
‘Business’ as usual Esteemed theater, popular musical, famous friends unite for a fun-filled ‘How To’ n
BY
WILL C. FRANKLIN STAFF WRITER
How’s this for a success story – a lowly window washer at a major corporation in New York City reads a how-to book on becoming successful in business and rises through the ranks to become company chairman … within a week or so. Granted, it sounds a little farfetched – but not in the world of musical theater. “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” the 1961 Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning show, opens today at the Olney Theatre Center. The story revolves around J. Pierrepont Finch, a window washer at the World Wide Wicket Company. He reads the book “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” while he works. “He’s a bit of an anomaly in a lot of ways,” said Sam Ludwig, who plays Finch. “Even though he’s a take on the sort of prototypical male ingénue, he is bright-eyed and full of optimism. But because of the nature of the show and the world that he’s in, … he’s kind of a nice sociopath until he gets a little warmed by love and life.” Finch is guided throughout the show by “the voice” of the book. Much-beloved journalist Walter Cronkite and TV personality Anderson Cooper provided the voice of the book during different Broadway runs of the show. The folks at Olney Theatre Center were able to land a pretty big name to lend his talents for the voice of the book – Sir Ian McKellen. Known as a talented performer of stage and screen,
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING n When: Jan. 29 through Feb. 23; performances are 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; matinees at 2 p.m. on Sunday; Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. on Feb. 8, 15, and 22; Wednesday matinees at 2 p.m. on Feb. 5, 12, and 19. n Where: Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney n Tickets: $32.50-$65 n For information: 301-9243400; olneytheatre.org
the great Shakespearean actor is probably a little more wellknown these days for playing Magneto in the “X-Men” films and, of course, Gandalf in “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit,” trilogies. Lately, McKellen has been seen spending time with his best friend, fellow actor Sir Patrick Stewart, in New York as they’re doing “No Man’s Land” and “Waiting for Godot,” in repertoire on Broadway. “You have no idea how excited I got thinking about that,” Ludwig said of having McKellen provide the voice of the book. “The voice of the book, in the context of the show to Finch, is like the voice of God. This is the voice of his conscience. It is his drive. It is his inspiration. Also the audience has to kind of trust the voice, but the relationship I have with the voice is really important. When I found out Ian McKellen was doing it, I literally jumped out of my seat. Then when I heard the recordings he did, they are so perfect.” McKellen actually has a history with the Olney Theatre Center. In 1987, he brought his one-man show, “Acting Shake-
“How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” opens today at the Olney Theatre Center. speare,” to the Olney Theatre Center to act as a fundraiser – as well as signing posters and Tshirts – to help the center pay for renovations to the theater. “I’ve heard stories about his residency here in 1987 since the time that I came and there are signed pictures of him all around the place,” said director Jason Loewith. “When we were talking in the summertime McKellen about who we should pursue for the book voice, I was like ‘Who does the Olney Theatre know who has a very distinctive voice?’ He was extremely, extremely gracious and immediately said yes, so we’re very lucky about that.” While Loewith has directed before at Olney, this is his first time at the helm of a musical.
AT THE MOVIES
‘Ride Along’ is an all too familiar dead end BY
MICHAEL PHILLIPS CHICAGO TRIBUNE
PHOTO QUANTRELL COLBERT
Kevin Hart in “Ride Along.”
RIDE ALONG n 2 stars n PG-13; 100 minutes n Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart n Directed by Tim Story
ingratiating work on “Barbershop” and “Think Like a Man,” I hoped for something more fun here. “Ride Along,” trading in too much action and not enough comedy, is best considered as the latest restaurant to open in an Olive Garden-type chain. No surprises. Pretty much like the last one you went to. Plus lots of breadsticks.
w No ing! w Sho F.
Scott Fitzgerald Theater
603 Edmonston Dr. Rockville, MD 20851
240-314-8690
www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre Rockville Little Theatre Presents
An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestly
The family is celebrating when a mysterious inspector comes to call. It becomes clear that they are implicated in a young women’s death. Join us for an exciting whodunnit that will keep you guessing to the very end.
Jan. 31 and Feb 1 at 8 p.m. Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.
$18 to $16
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Early, bloggy reviews of “Ride Along” have rolled in this week with phrases such as “perfectly acceptable” and “beenthere-done-that,” suggesting the likely range of opinion. It’ll probably be a hit: Audiences are getting precisely what they’re promised. This is the ol’ odd-couple cops routine, rigged up to support the pairing of Ice Cube, in the role of a snarling Atlanta police detective on the trail of a mysterious arms dealer, and Kevin Hart, as the detective’s prospective brother-in-law, a high school security guard with aspirations to join the force. Hart’s best bits in “Ride Along,” such as they are and such as it is, hark back to the panicking-ninny routines of many other comedians, from Eddie Cantor to “Rush Hour’s” Chris Tucker. The 2001 drama “Training Day” is name-checked in “Ride Along,” and some of the stuff in this diversion isn’t much less vile than anything Denzel Washington got up to in “Training Day.” The story has a bizarre undertone. Cube’s character is so creepily protective of his sister, played by Tika Sumpter in various states of decorative undress, he comes off like someone who should be tailed, not someone doing the tailing. Hart’s Ben Barber must prove his worthiness to his future in-law and show he has what it takes to be this movie’s idea of a good cop, measured in how many innocent bystanders come in for friendly fire. The rest of the movie is sexual molestation jokes, misjudged brutality and a general glorification of assault weapons. (The film’s rated PG-13, and it’d be pretty stupid to take anyone under 12.) The supporting cast features John Leguizamo and Bryan Callen as Cube’s colleagues and Bruce McGill as the tetchy lieutenant. Director Tim Story can’t do much with the screenplay, which smells of the eternally rewritten paste-up job. After Story’s loose,
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Loewith, who wrote the book for last summer’s production of “Big Nate,” at Adventure Theatre MTC, said he has had great support from his cast and crew. “I’m really lucky to be working with some really stellar people, especially veterans at Olney Theatre as well as the folks who are new,” Loewith said. “… It’s fun to work with Sam Ludwig, who has been here before but is really an immerging talent who’s doing some amazing stuff.” This isn’t the first time Loewith and Ludwig have worked together. Ludwig starred as Nate in the Adventure Theatre MTC production. “The characters of Nate and Finch are sort of very similar,” Ludwig said. “They have a little glint of the devil in their eye, but they’re totally lovable. I think they probably saw that I could do that sort of thing. … With this, [Loewith] has been great. He’s so ready and willing to let [us] play … it’s been a super fun experience.” wfranklin@gazette.net
PHOTOS FRON SONIE MATHEW
Sam Ludwig stars as J. Pierrepont Finch in Olney Theatre Center’s production of “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”