This morning I waited in line for two hours to get a $30 rush ticket to see How to Succeed on broadway starring Daniel Radcliffe. I normally only arrive at the theater about 30 minutes ahead of the box office opening, but after seeing the line at Catch Me If You Can yesterday when I got there an hour early, I knew I had to get there way ahead of time to see DanRad. Imagine my surprise when I show up and there are about 15-20 people ahead of me. I was so nervous! Should I wait? Should I leave? Three people in front of me bailed soon after I got there. Luckily, when noon rolled around I had my ticket in my hand. I was sitting in the fourth row, and although it was stamped "partial view" I could see everything just fine.
As the show was about to begin, I could not have been more excited. I was literally trembling (of course, the air conditioning was freezing in the theater). I had no idea that the show I was about to see would leave me smiling for hours after I left the theater. How am I supposed to sum up for you how amazing this show was? Let me put it this way-- Harry Potter who?! Seriously, Daniel did a phenomenal job. Okay, so he's not the best singer in the world, but his voice is pleasant enough. Everyone knows he is a great actor, but now he has proven he is one outstanding performer. Daniel and the cast of How to Succeed with entertain you to the fullest.
Daniel plays J. Pierrepont Finch, a young window washer who quickly rises to the top in a powerful corporation thanks to a how-to guide. I cannot stress to you how fun this show is. The dancing, the music, the extravagant set-- it all is put together so perfectly. I keep asking myself, "Would I still love this show if Dan didn't play the lead?" And you know what, while it would still be fabulous, it just wouldn't be the same. He is made for this role. Daniel is so charming and talented. He interacts wonderfully with the rest of the cast, his dancing is rather impressive, and, most of all, he is really enjoying myself. My absolute favorite moment in the show was during one of the last numbers called "Brotherhood of Man." This scene in itself is a huge, powerful moment, but I caught something that made me see that Dan is having the time of his life up there. Dan did a fancy maneuver (not sure if it was a somersault or what) but he landed facing the actor who plays the chairman of the board of the company he works for. When those two made eye contact, Dan was absolutely beaming. He wasn't just smiling for the sake of the show-- he was truly having a blast.
I really do not want to put Dan's performance on a higher lever than the rest of the cast's because that is definitely not true. Everyone-- from the other lead actors to the members of the ensemble-- is so talented. I can't begin to explain the amazing time I had at How to Succeed. If you go to see one show this season, make it this one. Just remember to get there very early if you want rush tickets. No matter what, it will definitely be worth the wait.
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