THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE

THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE; Musical book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, new music by Jeanine Tesori, new lyrics by Dick Scanlan (Original story and screenplay by Richard Morris for the Universal Pictures Film); Directed by Dennis Lickteig, Choreography by Robyn Tribuzi and Musical direction by Attilio Tribuzzi. Broadway by the Bay (BBB), San Mateo Performing Arts Center, 600 N. Delaware, San Mateo. (650) 579-5565, or visit www.broadwaybythebay.org.

GREAT FUN, HAPPY FEET, AUDIENCE PLEASER

The successful conversion of stage musicals into movies far exceed the number of movie musicals going in the reverse direction. Thoroughly Modern Millie is one of the later as it takes us back in time to the “flapper era” of the 1920s to kick up a storm. The 2002 Tony Award-winning Broadway hit musical, based on the1967 movie that featured Julie Andrews, Mary Tyler Moore and Carol Channing included only two songs from the movie with updated music by Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan, with a few 1920 standards thrown in to make 15. After opening in San Diego’s La Jolla Playhouse it went on to win almost every Broadway award. Broadway by the Bay has mounted a sure-fire hit filled with a talented, young, energetic cast that would make New York envious. This production is one of BBB’s best and the present cast is ready for the Big Apple.

Small-town girl Millie Dillmount (fantastic Melissa WolfKlain) who arrives in the Big Apple in 1922 to marry for money instead of love, singing her heart out that Salinas, Kansas “Is Not the Life for Me” before she shares the stage with the ensemble (The Moderns) dressed in bright, eye-popping flapper era costumes, with the first big dance number “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Enter, Jimmy Smith (local icon, marvelous tenor Ben Jones), accidentally meets Millie whom he dislikes. But heck, this is a musical comedy and we all know that between love and dislike “there is a line as sharp as the razor’s edge. (Apologies to Somerset Maughn).

Millie bobs her hair, changes into modern dresses (I counted 9 dressing changes . . . all flamboyantly gorgeous), moves into a Hotel for Women and meets Miss Dorothy (clear voiced soprano Dominque Bonino) singing “How the Other Half Lives.” Finally getting a job as a stenographer for Trevor Graydon III (powerful baritone William Giammona) they break into “The Speed Test” with Miss Flannery (hilarious Heather Ortt) and a stage full of foot tapping typists. It is a lesson in how a patter song should be staged.

Meanwhile back at the Hotel, the devious, smarmy Mrs. Meers (funny Mary Gibboney) is blackmailing her two Chinese laundry men Chung Ho (loveable Joshua Lau) and Bun Foo (competent Jeffery C. Wong) into kidnapping orphan girls, shipping them into white slavery. The three have a chance to strut their stuff in song and dance with, would you believe, super-titles to translate their words. The final main character is chanteuse Muzzy Van Hossmere ( Jackie De Munro a sexy, alto who can really belt a song), she plays a role in bringing Mrs. Meers to heel.

The 21-piece orchestra is in great form under Attilio Tribuzi’s direction. Choreographer Robyn Tribuzi has a field day with her almost professional dancers who are a colorful sight in their flapper outfits. Dennis Lickteig, in his first gig with BBB, demonstrates complete control of the action and hopefully will return for further shows.

As with most musical comedies, love does not run smooth, conflict arises, songs carry the plot and eventually there is a happy conclusion. Thoroughly Modern Millie has all that and more making it a must see show. One caveat: Running time is 2 hours and 20 minutes, with intermission. The large auditorium is not air-conditioned and it is advisable to leave jackets at home and arrive in shirt sleeves and summer dresses.
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of TheatreWorld Internet Magazine.