Penn State Thespians: How To Succeed with Sam Davis

Basically, we all go to college to get a job, because if we don’t, there’s no way we can succeed. None of us really want to be stuck in a dead-end job when we’re 30, so we’re busting our butts now to earn that degree. But what if I told you there was a book that teaches you how to succeed in business without really trying?

Okay, so that book might not exist, but it’s the premise of this semester’s show performed by the Penn State Thespians. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical comedy that’s sure to make you leave in high spirits. To get some more insight, Valley sat down with Sam Davis, the costume designer of How to Succeed, to talk about the show, the costumes and how a junior majoring in childhood and early adolescent education got so involved in theater.

Valley: Tell us a little bit about How to Succeed.

Sam Davis: It’s about a man who gets a book called How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and he goes from being a window washer to being a CEO of a company.

V: What got you interested in costumes and theater?

SD: I’ve been doing theater since eleventh grade, but I’ve been going to see shows since I was in seventh. I’ve loved every second of it.

V: Is this the first show that you’ve been the head costume designer?

SD: No, I started doing costumes my spring semester of freshman year. I was the assistant, and the next show I was the head costumer. This time, I’m co-costuming.

V: What era does this take place in, and what are the costumes like?

SD: It takes place in the 60’s, and both the men and women are wearing business wear. There is one scene with pirates though, and we decided to make one of them a parrot.

V: Every musical seems to have a love story – does this one?

SD: Of course! You can’t have a musical without a love story.

V: Most men seem to think that musicals are girly. So if a girl drags her boyfriend to see this, what’s in it for him?

SD: I think everybody should love musicals… but this is a very male-heavy show so I think men will be able to relate to them pretty well.

V: Should anybody from the Smeal School of Business take away any advice from this show?

SD: No, definitely not! This is not how you make it in business and it would not work at all.

There you have it, folks! How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying is showing on April 11^th and 12^th at 7:30 PM and April 13^th at 1 and 7:30 PM in the Schwab Auditorium. Student tickets are $5 and General Admission is $10.

Photo by Audrey Cillo