Thoroughly Modern Millie is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan, and a book by Richard Morris and Scanlan. Based on the 1967 film of the same name, Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the story of a small-town girl, Millie Dillmount, who comes to New York City to marry for money instead of love – a thoroughly modern aim in 1922, when women were just entering the workforce.
Millie soon begins to take delight in the flapper lifestyle, but problems arise when she checks into a hotel owned by the leader of a slavery ring in China. The style of the musical is comic pastiche.
After tryouts at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California in October 2000, the show opened on Broadway in April 2002. The production subsequently won six 2002 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Due to the success of the original Broadway production, there were both a United States tour and a West End production launched in 2003 starring Amanda Holden, followed by a UK tour in 2005.
Director - Claire Nias Musical Director - Neil Streeter
The Cast
MILLIE - Louise Ellison
JIMMY SMITH - James Quinn
MISS DOROTHY - Maria Candy
TREVOR GRAYDON - Chris Hill
MRS MEERS - Kathy Rawles
MISS FLANNERY - Linda Bagnall
CHING HO - Seb Juliff
BUN FOO - Jeremy Heelas
Musical Numbers
ACT ONE Overture........................................................................................................................ Orchestra Not for the Life of Me............................................................................................................. Millie Thoroughly Modern Millie................................nd Ensemble (Music by James Van Heusen, lyrics by Sammy Cahn) Not for the Life of Me (Reprise) ........................................................ Ruth, Gloria, Rita, Alice, Cora, Lucille How the Other Half Lives................................................................................... Miss Dorothy and Millie Nor for the Life of Me (Reprise) ............................................................................ Ching Ho and Bun Foo The Speed Test .......................................................... Mr. Graydon, Millie, Miss Flannery and Office Workers (Music by Arthur Sullivan, lyrics by W.S. Gilbert, additional lyrics by Dick Scanlan) They Don't Know ........................................................................................................... Mrs. Meers The Nuttycracker Suite .......................... Millie, Miss Dorothy, Jimmy, Gloria, Alice, Ruth and Speakeasy Patrons (by Jeanine Tesori, based on the music by Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky) What Do I Need with Love? .................................................................................................... Jimmy Only in New York................................................................................................. Muzzy Jimmy/Millie (Music and lyrics by Jay Thompson, additional music by Jeanine Tesori, additional lyrics by Dick Scanlan)
ACT TWO Forget About the Boy............................................................................. Millie, Miss Flannery and Typists I'm Falling in Love with Someone ................................................................ Mr. Graydon and Miss Dorothy (Music by Victor Herbert, lyrics by Rita Johnson Young) I Turned the Corner ................................................................................................ Jimmy and Millie Muqin ............................................................................................. Mrs. Meers, Ching Ho and Bun Foo (Music and lyrics by Sam Lewis, Joe Young and Walter Donaldson; additional lyrics by Dick Scanlan) Long as I'm Here with You......................................................................................Muzzy and Ensemble Not for the Life of Me (Reprise) ................................................................................................ Millie Gimme, Gimme .................................................................................................................... Millie The Speed Test (Reprise)..................................................................Millie, Mr. Graydon, Jimmy and Muzzy Ah! Sweet Mystery (Reprise) ...........................................................................Miss Dorothy and Ching Ho Finale: Thoroughly Modern Millie ............................................................Jimmy, Miss Dorothy and Moderns
Musicians Ros Penney - Piano Sarah Taylor - Woodwind John Barham - Double Bass Phil Manley - Percussion
Reviews
This production introduced 2 new principals who acted and performed as if they were born to the stage. Louise Ellison’s Millie was played with verve and vivacity befitting her character. Although first night nerves left her slow into the action, her singing of the show’s best known song was all glitz and drive and was maintained through the show.
Opposite her, James Quinn’s Jimmy was played as New York “Jack the Lad” with a good throwaway style of dialogue and rock-solid accent. His singing was well up to standard and there is more to come from this performer.
Maria Candy as “Miss Dorothy Brown” sang and acted with distinction and was backed ably by Chris Hill as Trevor Brown. Along with Kathy Rawles as Mrs Meers, these were the performers that set the base of this production.
The other standout of the performance was Ann Sinclair as Muzzy. The theatre was set alight by her rendition of Only in New York. This is a voice that oozes quality. Mention must be made of the pairing of Sebastien Juliff and Jeremy Heelas and Ching Ho & Bun Foo. Their massacring of Mandarin Chinese throughout must have set back Anglo-Chinese relations decades but was well executed and very funny.
The Chorus danced very well and the accuracy of their tap routines was a testament to the hard work of Nikki Harsent-Noke.
There were a number of minor niggles with the timing and precision of the scene changes but these are also a problem with the venue. Similarly the absence of a pit meant that Neil Streeter’s well prepared cast on stage did not feel the full benefit of an orchestra to back them although the players laboured mightily for the cast.
The production had a rocky birth with changes of Director (through illness) mid-stream, Claire Nias can take pride from the show but must wonder what could be achieved if she had the tiller from the start. She is to be congratulated on presenting a warming, entertaining evening and getting the cast to work so hard for her.Last week saw the Andover Musical and Operatic Society turn in a slickly directed production at The Lights of the musical "Thoroughly Modern Millie" set in jazz mad 1920s New York. The simple sets (especially the typing desks on wheels!) conjured up the feel of the city, reinforced by bright period costumes and plenty of lively dance numbers. The tap dancing sequence by the seated typists under their mobile desks was especially effective, despite the tight space on the Lights' stage. Nick Williams NODA Area 14 SE
Newcomer Louise Ellison sang and danced convincingly as the rural Millie who comes to NY intent on marrying her boss, but marries for love instead, hile another newcomer, Ann Sinclair, as the cabaret singer Muzzy, has clearly missed her real vocation as she could give Shirley Bassey a run for her money! They had good support from their leading men - James Quinn as Jimmy Smith (not what he seems) and Chris Hill as the eligible boss, Mr Trevor Graydon with a good line in sung dictation, as well as from Maria Candy as the glamorous Miss Dorothy, whose riotous blonde curls bewitch Mr Graydon, along with her ethereal soprano voice.
Especially enjoyable were Mrs Meers, as the white slave trader, and her two Chinese associates who played the baddies with suitably tongue in cheek style, including a hilarious take- off of the well known "Mammy". Underpinning it all was the small band led by the experienced Neil Streeter and the excellent Ros Penny on the piano. The audience's reaction throughout showed how much they were enjoying the show. Elaine Drage
Nominated for three Curtain Call Awards!
AMOS are thrilled that Thoroughly Modern Millie has been nominated for awards in three categories by the Southern Daily Echo Curtain Call Awards!
