By Samantha Baird
First performed on Broadway in 2002, Thoroughly Modern Millie is a story of love, friendship, and self-discovery that Draper Historic Theatre presents wonderfully. As a lover of the arts and a student of theatre I have always wanted to see Thoroughly Modern Millie but never had the chance to and I was not disappointed by what I saw onstage. I also have to say that I was very impressed at the level of professionalism the young actors and actresses showed after having their opening night pushed back a day due to flooding in the theatre.
Although not making it to Broadway until 2002, the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie is based off of a movie by the same name which came to popularity in 1967. The musical was written by Richard Morris (book), Dick Scanlan (book and lyrics), and Jeanine Tesori (music). The show tells a story of young Millie Dillmount who moves from Kansas to New York City and tries to make her way by marrying rich. Along the way she runs into trouble, but also finds good friends who stand by her through it all.
Morgan Hekking’s Millie Dillmount is brilliant and nothing short of amazing. Watching her onstage I was reminded of a young Sutton Foster and as long as it’s her dream, Hekking is going places. When she sings “Gimme Gimme” she has the audience on the edge of their seats and she has no trouble with filling the theatre with her voice. I was and am still amazed. Alex Montour gives nothing less with his portrayal of Jimmy Smith. He is so charming and smooth, that you can’t help but root for him. Olivia Hansen, as Millie’s best friend Dorothy Brown, has one of the most beautiful operatic voices I’ve ever heard. She may be Millie’s best friend, but I left the theatre wanting Dorothy to be my best friend.
The adult characters, that is to say the more adultier adult characters, of Trevor Graydon (Kyle Larsen), Miss Flannery (Ann Fritz), and Muzzy Van Hossmere (Mazle Benson) each bring their own spark of pizzazz to the stage. Larsen creates a serious on the outside but sensitive on the inside Mr. Graydon making him an even more lovable character. Fritz never fails to make the audience laugh with her frazzled and a little all over the place Miss Flannery. I and my husband both loved how endearing she ended up being as well, being an unexpected ally to Millie. Finally, Mazle Benson’s Muzzy is so happy and brings an optimism to the stage that isn’t frequently present in the types of situations that Millie encounters.
While Thoroughly Modern Millie is already a comedic show, an even brighter comedic relief is brought to the stage by Ching Ho (Josh Taylor) and Bun Foo (Bailey Loveless) during the darker moments of Mrs. Meers’ (Lorianne Polsen). I couldn’t help but laugh every time they came onstage. Likewise, the Mods and the ensemble are very colorful groups bringing life to every scene they are in. The show could not exist with the setting of a city without their bubbly personalities.
Director Todd Taylor put together a very coherent piece with not only a great cast, but also a great crew as well. Brittany Bush’s music direction keeps the cast in check with the jazz feel of the 1920’s, just as Heather Haycock’s choreography pulled me into the show so quickly I felt immediately transported to that era. The choreography is so fun that I left the show wondering if maybe I should try taking tap lessons again. Shane Hoisington’s set design is fun with the projections used on the back of the stage to help build the setting of each scene. My only concern is that I wished there was another way to translate the Chinese that is spoken onstage. The choice to use a TV on the top right corner of the stage was a little distracting and took me away from the action occurring on stage. My favorite tech aspect of the show was the costumes. Mae Hinton-Godfrey’s costume design is beautiful, and I was amazed at how many carefully found/built costumes each character has.
I was very pleased with my first encounter with Thoroughly Modern Millie and if you’ve never seen the show either, this would be a great first exposure. I left the show reminded of why I find the 1920’s so romantic and fun. The 2020’s are only two years away. Does anyone want to bring back flapper dresses and 1920’s parties? I’ll help! Go see Thoroughly Modern Millie at Draper Historic Theatre before it closes.
Draper Historic Theatre presents Thoroughly Modern Millie. Book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, Lyrics by Dick Scanlan, and Music by Jeanine Tesori.
Draper Historic Theatre, 12366 South 900 East Draper, UT 84020
August 3-4, 6, 10-11, 13, 17-18, 20, 24-25 2018 7:00 PM, August 18 Matinee 2:00 PM
Tickets: $8-15
Contact: 801-572-4144
Draper Historic Theatre Facebook Page
Thoroughly Modern Millie Facebook Event
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