Stars Over Veishea tries — and succeeds
April 17, 1996
It’s a story that any college student could relate to. Boy hates job. Boy meets girl. Boy tries to climb corporate ladder of success. Throw in a few razzle-dazzle musical numbers and you’ve got this year’s Stars Over Veishea production, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.
The show opens tonight at C.Y. Stephens and will play through Saturday with all shows starting at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices run $9.50, $11.50 and $12.50. Students are offered a $4 discount if they have their ID and fee card.
The musical, which is currently playing on Broadway, tells the story of a young window washer named J. Pierrepont Finch, played by Russ O’Rourke, a sophomore in industrial technology.
He aspires to be an executive in the World Wide Wicket Company. Finch finds a book filled with ideas and schemes that can help him to succeed in business.
On his path to success, Finch encounters several interesting people, said co-producer Beth Cope, a junior in animal science (pre-vet). He must deal with his boss, J.B Biggley, played by Ames resident Don DoBell, as well as the antics of his boss’ nephew Bud Frump, portrayed by David Dawson, a senior in sociology.
Finch spends much of his time trying to side-step the affections of Miss Hedy LA Rue, played by Kim Hale, a freshman in pre-journalism/mass communication, while he would much rather be seeking attention in the arms of the lovely Rosemary, a secretary in the office. Rosemary, played by Amy Tomenga, a junior in zoology actually is Finch’s biggest supporter.
According to Cope, the life of a secretary is a major focus of the musical, which is reflected in some of the musical selections: “A Secretary is not a Toy,” “The Company Way” and “Coffee Break” are a few examples.
“It’s a satire, making fun of how secretaries were treated,” Cope said.
O’Rourke, the lead man, sees a little of himself in the character he is portraying. “We’re alike in a lot of ways, but it was a little bit of a stretch sometimes,” he explained. “Finch is a real nice guy who finds this book on how to succeed. He is very motivated and wants to be chairman of the board someday. He knows what he wants.”
So far ticket sales for the performance are going well, but as of yet there have been no sell-outs, Cope said. “It’s going well, but we would like to see more students,” she said. “Veishea is for the students, so we’d like to see them come and watch.”
To encourage more students to attend, anyone who brought their resume and fee card to the Memorial Union Box Office or the C.Y. Stephens Box Office received $5 off their ticket price.
“It came about from the idea that the show was about succeeding in business, and when you climb the corporate ladder, you have to start with your resume,” said Heather Richards, public relations co-chair.
The musical was co-produced by Cope and Patrick Wolfe and is based on the book by Shephard Mead. Ticket discounts are offered to children, students and groups of 10 or more. Tickets can still be bought at any Ticketmaster outlet, the Memorial Union or the C.Y. Stephens Box Office.