Milton Hershey School Students Present “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”

Milton Hershey School Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) students are ready for the opening night of the first Senior Division spring musical in Founders Hall Auditorium since the building reopened after five years of renovations.

“How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” takes to the Founders Hall stage beginning this Thursday, March 2 through Saturday, March 4. The musical, based on the 1952 book of the same name by Shepherd Mead, opened on Broadway in 1961. The story follows J. Pierrepont Finch’s rise from a company’s window washer to chairman of the board.

Founders Hall underwent renovations beginning in 2017 and now includes state-of-the-art lighting and technology, brand new seating, and a completely new look.

“As soon as we arrived onto the Founders Hall stage, we knew we would have to make our movements so much bigger to get to the other side,” MHS senior Sharon Kossiakoff, who plays the character Smitty, said. “Being in this auditorium adds a lot of energy to the show.”

Sophia Lozada-Delzell, MHS senior who plays Rosemary Pilkington, enjoys “How to Succeed in Business” because it exposes students to 1960s culture.

“The show is very satirical, which audiences will enjoy,” Sophia said.

Participating in the school musical through the MHS VPA programgives students the opportunity to step out of their comfort zones. The school’s performing arts curriculum and extracurricular opportunities like the spring musical also help students like Sophia prepare for life after graduating from MHS.

“The staff at MHS always push us to our best ability. They are always providing us ways to make our performance—on and off stage—better,” Mohan Lall, known on stage as J. Pierrepont “Ponty” Finch, said.

Sharon, Sophia, and Mohan have held parts in MHS spring musicals throughout high school but said performing in Founders Hall adds new excitement to this year’s show. The public is invited to attend performances at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, March 2-4, as well as a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 4. Tickets are not needed to attend the performances.

Ahead of the matinee performance, MHS will also hold a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 4 as the school prepares to reopen the historic Founders Hall building to the public. The renovation of the building weaves together historic artifacts and moments in time with modern upgrades and features—among these are: an interactive Visitors Center, newly designed meeting areas and office spaces, and a redesigned dining hall for students.

MHS VPA Students hope to see many members of the public at Founders Hall for this exciting event and musical performance.

Watch Founders Hall Rededication Highlights