Thoroughly Modern Millie transports
you to the NYC jazz age of the 1920’s
where skirts were shorter, hair was bobbed, flappers were dancing the Charleston, and everyone was living it up during prohibition.
This musical has a nostalgic vibe with wonderfully choreographed jazzy tap numbers and a vaudeville comedy thread. Although the overall story is a bit simple, it's a feel good musical with a fantastic cast that
will have you laughing and enjoying the energetic rhythms of high speed stepping.
Reflection
Spunky Millie (Laurie Veldheer ), from a one light town in Kansas, travels
to the big apple to flee her
small town life "Not for the Life of Me" . Her plan is to forgo love and marry
for money (her future boss). She assumes the “modern” flapper lifestyle to become a “Thoroughly Modern Millie”. Of course wide eyed Millie gets mugged on her
first day. Broke and alone, she meets handsome,
free spirited, paperclip salesman, Jimmy
(Bobby Conte Thornton ) who's advice is to get a ticket home as he directs her to the Hotel Priscilla For
Single Women.
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| Leslie Uggams(Mussy) and Lenora Nemetz (Ms. Meers) |
The hotel is run by, ex-con, ex-actress, Ms. Meers (Lenora
Nemetz), disguised as a sweet Chinese house mother, who kidnaps orphaned girls for a white slavery ring in Hong Kong with her two sidekicks, Ching Ho (Sam Simahk) and Bun
Foo (Colin Miyamoto). This part of the story line is
a bit creepy. Nemetz makes it work with her over the top
fake Chinese accent singing “They Don't Know”, while tip toeing past the girls’ rooms like a Warner Brothers Looney Tunes cartoon villain. It's all so playful and exaggerated that we laugh and forget how wrong this part of the story really is. Simahk’s and Miyamoto’s Chinese rendition of "Not for the Life of Me” and their dialogue with audience
English subtitles, brilliantly adds punches of vaudevillian humor pulling it all off.
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| Laurie Veldheer (Millie) and Bobby Conte Thorton (Jimmy) |
Creative rhythmic tapping mimics
the sound of the typewriters at Sincere Trust where Millie
pursues employment as an assistant to a rich
boss, Trever Grayson (Paul Schaefer ). She lands the job after she passes her stenography “Speed Test" which delights us with lighting speed song from Schaefer and Veldheer.
Mr. Grayson shows no interest in Millie but has a "love at first sight moment" with Dorthy (Jessica Fontana), a wealthy girl in town to see, How the other Half Lives. Of course Millie eventually falls for penniless Jimmy, “I Turned the Corner/ I Fell in Love”- giving up her plan to marry for money as she follows her heart.
Mr. Grayson shows no interest in Millie but has a "love at first sight moment" with Dorthy (Jessica Fontana), a wealthy girl in town to see, How the other Half Lives. Of course Millie eventually falls for penniless Jimmy, “I Turned the Corner/ I Fell in Love”- giving up her plan to marry for money as she follows her heart.
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| Leslie Uggams(Mussy) and Laurie Veldherr (Millie) |
Leslie Uggams, a Tony and Emmy Award-winning singer-actress, as a
famous singer Mussy Van Hossemer, gives two show stopping jazzy numbers, “Only for the Life of Me” and “Long as I'm Here with You”. My favorite grand tap dancing
moment was in Act II as Millie’s coworkers advise her to “Forget the Boy” when she mistakenly
believes Jimmy to be a womanizer.
Thoroughly Modern Millie is fanciful, fun, and even a bit frivolous
as it entertains with some fantastic hoofing, singing and vaudeville comedy.
(Thoroughly Modern Millie runs August 7 through 12, 2018 at Benedum Theater. For tickets and the new 1019 season line up go to pittsburghclo.org)
Spiritual Reflection
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income;this also is vanity. (Ecclesiastics 5:10)
Other Sources