Early in “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying,” a metaphor for the business world stirs the stomach, as one character says “the whole salad is greater than any one piece of lettuce.”

The same can be said for this year’s Dolphin Show. As the largest annual student-run show in the country, the Dolphin Show has the same task of filling a large theater and entertaining audiences as any mainstage Theatre and Interpretation Center show, but without a T.I. budget, professional direction or even a requisite group of eager freshmen who provide mandatory crew time.

As one of the few Pulitzer Prize winning musicals, “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying” satirically explores nepotism, caffeine addiction, philandering with the secretary and the corporate mentality of the 1950s and `60s, as well as other office oddities.

Dolphin Director Evan Brody points to the popularity of “How to Succeed” as one of the reasons it was chosen as this year’s Dolphin Show. And though Brody, a Communication senior, knows he took on a challenge, he recognizes, “this isn’t the first time its being done,” referencing the Dolphin Show’s long, successful history.

To Devin DeSantis, recently in “Parade” and the lead in “How to Succeed,” the challenge is exciting. “It’s different than a mainstage show,” the Music senior says. “Everyone here has to pull their weight.” From building and painting sets to working on publicity for the show, each of the 22 cast members is expected to contribute onstage and off.

“It’s a great experience to see all sides of the show,” DeSantis says.

The Dolphin Show’s holistic process and limited manpower allow for true ownership of the show, says DeSantis.

“How to Succeed” is the 63rd annual student-produced Dolphin Show, which began as a musical review fundraiser in 1940 for a men’s swimming team. The show eventually dropped its fundraising aims in 1963 and went ashore to Cahn Auditorium in 1970. Since then alumni such as David Schwimmer, Warren Beatty and the former Miss America, Kate Shindle, have all dived into musical theater with the Dolphin Show.

And if this year’s artistic producer, Weinberg senior Abby Wolbe, has things her way, the tradition will be carried on in a similar fashion, if not expanded. “I would like the show to gain a little more presence on campus,” Wolbe says.

Equipped with a new promotional logo for posters and other memorabilia, Wolbe would like to see to the Dolphin Show become more of an entity in the upcoming years.

The Dolphin Show might not have the resources of grander mainstage shows, but it certainly is not your typical student show premiering in Shanley Pavilion or the Louis Room. With a budget several times as large as a normal student show, the Dolphin Show is a dream project for mainstage-minded students who yearn for complete student control.

“The Dolphin show is a student production, but on such a large scale that it’s kind of in its own rank,” said Communication junior Dara Gomberg, who plays the female lead in this year’s production.

Gomberg plays the role of Rosemary Pilkington, a secretary teeming with energy to marry J. Pierrepont Finch. Meanwhile, Finch — played by DeSantis — is on his way to the top of the corporate ladder after reading a book titled, “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.”

Brody choreographed the show with assistant Jen Post, and says he aims to create a complete show by using the talent and space to its full capacity. “The biggest thing I’ve tried to create is a musical that seamlessly combines acting, singing, and dancing,” he says.

In terms of space, set-designer and Communication senior Kevin Durnbaugh — who also fulfills the earlier “salad” metaphor by playing a part in the show — has created a large platform set with plenty of moving pieces as well as a height setting actors well above the stage. The set helps enhance the “heightened office-space” Wolbe was aiming for.

For the actors and crew, not only does this large set mean a lot of paint and design work, but also poses challenges with movement and adapting scenes from small practice spaces to a large, multi-tiered setting.

“It’s kind of complex,” Gomberg says. “It was a lot to get used to, it definitely was an interesting experience to be eye-to-eye with the balcony.”

Furthermore, while much of the cast has adjusted to student theater throughout the years at Northwestern, Communication freshman Philip Markle enjoys his role as assistant director because it allows him to comprehend just how student theater works, even at such a large scale.

Just like all the other members of the cast, Markle is expected to take on many roles ranging from assisting Brody with office tasks to playing the role of director and offering notes to the cast. By doing so many different tasks, Markle says he has learned a lot from Brody and the cast.

“We’re all students and we’re all still learning in the process,” he says.

“It’s a lot to do, but it’s a Northwestern tradition,” Brody says, adding that he’s confident in his actors and crew. “I think I have the best cast assembled on this campus.”4

Medill freshman Kurt Soller is a PLAY writer. He can be reached at [email protected].