"Thoroughly Modern Millie" teaches
self-reinvention
By Jeff Britton
Special to The Desert Sun
October 22, 2000
It's been a long time coming, including a week's postponement of
opening night for rewrites. But the new musical "Thoroughly
Modern Millie" has shimmied into La Jolla Playhouse for its
world premiere.
Inspired by the jazz-age flapper movie starring Julie Andrews,
this "Millie" blends 12 new songs by Jeanine Tesori
with lyrics by Dick Scanlan with three from the 1967 film. The
book by Richard Morris ("The Unsinkable Molly Brown")
and Scanlan, though set in the 1920s, aims for the larger theme
of self reinvention and the freedom to become the real you,
rather than some facade of respectability.
"Since the United States is built on a foundation of
self-reinvention, "Millie" is an inherently American
Show," Morris said. "After all, the 1920s boils down to
sex, drugs and rock 'n roll: the drug was booze, the music was
jazz and the sex was exactly the same."
Broadway vet Sutton Foster ("Les Miserables,"
"Grease," "Annie") assumes the title role
opposite Jim Stanek as her determined suitor. Stanek starred
opposite Kathleen Turner last season on Broadway in
Indiscretions."
Michael Mayer, who directed "Side Man" and
"You"re a Good Man, Charlie Brown" on Broadway,
heads a design team that includes set designer David Gallo,
orchestrator Ralph Burns ("Chicago") and Tony Award
winning lighting designer Donald Holder ("The Lion
King").
This top-notch talent suggests the Playhouse has serious designs
on transferring it to Broadway, which explains why many
performances are already sold out despite the lack of reviews.
Last season's stellar musical version of "Jane Eyre"
has achieved that goal; it opens on Broadway in December, just in
time for the holiday crowds.
"The Who's Tommy" and a high-tech revival of "How
to Succeed in Business" starring Matthew Broderick also
debuted in La Jolla.
Performances of "Millie" continue through Nov. 12.
(858) 550-1010.