Unlike the title of this year’s Ironton High School musical – "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" – cast and crew members know they have to work hard to make sure the play will be a success.

Tuesday, February 20, 2001

Unlike the title of this year’s Ironton High School musical – "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" – cast and crew members know they have to work hard to make sure the play will be a success.

Under the watchful eyes of director Jeff Handley, choreographer Patty Freeman, musical director Kathy Price and vocals coach John Curtis, students have been memorizing lines, dance steps and song selections since the first part of January. The play will be presented to the public March 30-31 at 8 p.m. and April 1 at 2 p.m. at the Ironton High School auditorium.

Between the cast and stage crew, around 70 IHS students will take part in this year’s selection.

Even though play practice did not begin until January, Handley said the process of pulling everything together begins much earlier.

Each year, he says he chooses the play in the summer and begins ordering the scenery and costumes in the early fall. Tryouts take place in December and, once the cast is chosen, practice commences. Over the next three months, students learn the play piece by piece.

"It’s a three-month commitment for the students. They learn a song first, come out and work on the choreography and then plug it into the lines," Handley said, adding the choreography is most time-consuming component of the play. "If there are eight pages of music, you have to have a step for every beat on every page."

About a week before the public presentation, students act out the play in its entirety each day. They also go through a dress rehearsal and a school performance before presenting the play to the public.

"When the public sees it, we’ve done the play seven times," Handley said.

This is Handley’s 30th year directing the musical. In selecting which play will be presented each year, Handley said he looks to Broadway.

"If a play has been on Broadway and has been successful…you know it’s a good play," he said.

This year’s play is a comedy about a young man named J. Pierreport Finch – played by Patrick Milleson – who is able to climb to the top of the business world without having to exert a lot of energy. Finch is able to do this by reading a book entitled, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."

The story travels through Finch’s ups and downs, obstacles and accomplishments on his way to the top, Handley said.

Handley has been pleased with the effort this year’s cast and crew has put forth and expects the play to be a big success.

"They are working hard," Handley said. "They are a talented group and, hopefully, the community will come out and support them."