Tony Tuesday: THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE

This week we’re going back to the early noughties for some flapper tapper musicality. Today’s TONY Tuesday is:

“Forget About The Boy” from Thoroughly Modern Millie at the 2002 TONY Awards ceremony. 

Thoroughly Modern Millie is a musical adaptation of the 1967 film that starred Julie Andrews, which tells the story of small-town girl Millie Dillmount who moves to New York City, getting swept up in the modern notion that one should marry for money and status rather than love. 

The show was penned by Jeanine Tesori, Dick Scanlan and Richard Morris. The score combined new tunes in a 20’s flapper theme with other adaptations of songs from Gilbert and Sullivan to Victor Herbert. The initial workshops for the musical featured Kristin Chenoweth in the title role, however the TONY winner had to leave the production pre out-of-town try-out when she landed her own sitcom. Chenoweth was replaced by actor Erin Dilly. However, again, the production team lost their leading lady when Dilly left during rehearsals just prior to public previews and her understudy (a then fairly unknown) Sutton Foster stepped up to play the role. The show opened at the renowned La Jolla Playhouse in October 2000 and ran for two months receiving positive notices. 

The show eventually opened on Broadway in April 2002 at The Marquis Theatre. The production was directed by Michael Mayer, choreographed by Rob Ashford, with scenic design by David Gallo, costume design by Martin Pakledinaz, and lighting by Donald Holder. Joining Foster in the opening cast were Marc Kudisch as Trevor Graydon, Harriet Harris as Mrs Meers, Gavin Creel as Jimmy, Sheryl Lee Ralph as Muzzy, Ken Leung as Ching Ho and Francis Jue as Bun Foo. The production opened to critical and commercial acclaim winning six 2002 TONY Awards including Best Musical and Best Actress for Sutton Foster. The production closed in 2004 after a run of just over two years. 

The West End production opened at The Shaftesbury Theatre a year after its Broadway premiere reuniting the original creative team. Amanda Holden was cast as Millie Dillmount with Maureen Lipman as Mrs Meers. The production opened for previews in October 2003 and closed in June 2004, 6 days after the Broadway production. Despite having positive ticket sales and being reviewed well, the show failed to engage public interest. However, a UK tour was launched in 2005 which proved to have a much better reception. The tour starred Donna Steele as Millie, who had taken over from Amanda Holden in the West End production when Holden became ill. A Racky Plews-directed UK tour occurred between 2017/2018 starring Joanne Clifton as Millie. 

Thoroughly Modern Millie is full of some amazing toe-tapping songs. If you haven’t listened yet Besties, you need to!

Cast recording available on streaming sites. 

FACTS:

Music: Jeanine Tesori
Lyrics: Dick Scanlan
Book: Richard Morris
Theatre: The Marquis Theatre
Run: 20 April 2002 – 20 June 2004 (32 previews and 903 performances)

TONYS:

(NOMINATED) Best Book of a Musical – Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, Best Original Score – Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical – Gavin Creel, Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical – Marc Kudisch, Best Direction of a Musical – Michael Mayer

(WON) Best Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical – Sutton Foster, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical – Harriet Harris, Best Choreography – Rob Ashford, Best Orchestrations – Doug Besterman and Ralph Burns, Best Costume Design – Martin Pakledinaz. 

OLIVIERS: 

(NOMINATED) Best New Musical, Best Actress in a Musical – Amanda Holden, Maureen Lipman, Best Theatre Choreographer – Rob Ashford, Best Costume Design – Martin Pakledinaz.