 |
| Amy Poirier sets the tone as Miss Jones in the show-stopping number, Brotherhood of Man PHOTO: Brigid Blaschak |
It is often said, “behind every great man there's a
great woman.” In the case of World
Wide Wicket company president J.B. Biggley, that great woman is his secretary,
Miss Jones, played by Amy Poirier in the Farmington Players production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really
Trying. Miss Jones is Mr.
Biggley’s “right hand,” and she knows just how to handle her temperamental
boss. Miss Jones is also an ally
of J. Pierrepont Finch, the protagonist whose rise through the company ranks is
aided by Miss Jones’ inside information. As Amy describes her character, Miss Jones “enjoys her
position and working for Mr. ‘B’, and she is charmed by Finch and looks after
him. Sharing all my scenes with these two extremely funny and talented actors (Dorne
Lefere and Jason Wilhoite) has been so much fun.”
For Amy, the fun factor in this show is off the
charts: “I’ve always loved the music in this show, especially the hilarious Coffee Break, I Believe in You, and my very favorite, Brotherhood of Man. I also love shows set in the 1960’s – the
costumes and hairdos are a lot of fun! The audience will love all the inside business jokes,
the amazing costumes, and big dance numbers. The caliber of the cast is so
incredibly strong; every single member brings a tremendous amount of talent to
the stage. Just when you think the show can’t get any better or the numbers
more impressive, they do!”
But to make this show look easy has actually taken a
lot of hard work. Amy describes the
“biggest challenge, but most rewarding part, of the role of Miss Jones is in
the show-stopping number Brotherhood of
Man. It’s a high demand number both vocally and especially in the
choreography. Our choreographer Mary Murphy actually went to a workshop to
learn the exact same choreography that was used on Broadway and brought that
back for us to learn for our show. It took a while before we could dance and
sing at the same time! Miss Jones is the only female in that number and
surprises the audience in a way that nobody expects.”
While there is no substitute for hard work, Amy knows
from working in the corporate world that “being in the right place at the right
time with the right people can play a big role in what opportunities are
available and where and how you end up in that company. Hard work, diligence,
and working well with others are what then turns those opportunities into
success.” Amy has been an engineer
at GM for 21 years and now calls Farmington Hills home after growing up in the
Chicago area. How to Succeed is her fifth show at the Barn. A majority of her “spare”
time is spent with her three very active kids, who are 10, 13, and 15.
Amy echoes a common sentiment among her fellow cast
mates: “This cast and crew has
been a ‘dream’ to work with – everyone is so kind and talented and hardworking
and fun. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the directors – they wore
multiple hats not only doing an amazing job directing the show but being so
integrally involved with the creation of costumes and building of the
sets. And they were always
supportive, encouraging, and spot on with their direction and feedback
throughout the rehearsal process.”
The Farmington Players
production of How to Succeed in Business
Without Really Trying is proudly sponsored by TruVista Wealth
Advisors. The show’s three final performances
are May 14, 15, and 16 and tickets are available online at
farmingtonplayers.org or by emailing boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org
or calling the Barn box office at 248-553-2955.
No comments:
Post a Comment