Theater presents ‘Millie,’ spring musical

Click On The Video To Start Play

Tap dancing typists in “Thoroughly Modern Millie”
[qt:/video/typists.mov /video/typistsposter.mov 320 240]

The theater department’s spring production “Thoroughly Modern Millie” opens tonight, April 23, at 7:30 in the Jones Performing Arts Center.

The musical is set in the year 1922 and centers on the main character Millie  Dillmount who moves to New York City in hopes of marrying her boss so she will be rich.

“Love has nothing to do with it,” said senior Lindsey Wright-Forga who plays Millie. “Millie is a small-town girl with big dreams. Her mom and grandma worked their entire life. She doesn’t want that. She wants to be set for life.”

Mary Handiboe, assistant professor of theater arts and the director of the show, said Millie goes on quite a few misadventures during her quest to “be modern.”

“The twists and turns that are in it are just precious,” Handiboe said. “She realizes that a small-town heart is actually good.”

Handiboe said she choose “Thoroughly Modern Millie” because she was so captivated with it as a child.

“When I was younger I would watch the old Mary Tyler Moore and Julie Andrews 1967 movie [version of it],” Handiboe said. “I always felt like it was so much fun. When it came out on Broadway … I was in New York and I went to see it and it was just so much fun and real nostalgic.”

She said there challenges to designing a set to fit the time period of the musical.

“Whenever you do a period play you’re always going to have issues with design,” Handiboe said. “The Empire State Building isn’t even built yet — neither is the Chrysler Building. Trying to find a backdrop that didn’t clearly have those buildings on it was a difficult challenge.”

The choreographer, senior Cori Kidder, faced difficulties in choosing how the characters should dance.

“I did a lot of research on Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers,” Kidder said. “I used a lot of YouTube. We’re doing a lot of couple dancing along with some really fun and really difficult tap dancing. It’s really a challenge and a real learning experience for everyone.”

Kidder said one of the most exciting scenes is when Millie is auditioning for a typist job.

“Instead of hearing them [the typists] typing on a keyboard, they’re actually typing with their feet,” Kidder said. “We have these rolling desks attached to rolling chairs and these guys push the girls on [the chairs] while they’re tapping their feet on the floor.“ (See a video of the scene above)

Wright-Forga said this is the most difficult part for her.  However, Kidder said she is doing “a fabulous job.”

“I think everyone’s really doing great with it, and we’re having a lot of fun,” Kidder said.

Some of the other main cast members in the show include junior Michael Krikorian as Jimmy Smith, sophomore Jacob Watson as Trevor Graydon, senior Lauren Godfrey as Dorothy Brown, senior Amy York as Mrs. Meers, Kidder as Muzzy Van Hossmere and junior Samantha Parrish as Miss Flannery.

Also making a cameo appearance in the production is Rosemary “Mom” Chu.

“It’s going to be a big surprise where she comes into the show, so you’ll just have to watch and make sure you come see her,” Kidder said. “I think she’s really excited about it. Everyone should come see it. If not only for ‘Mom’ Chu, you should see it because I think you’re going to see a side of a lot of your friends that you didn’t know they had. It’s a great story.”

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and children. Performances are April 23-25 at 7:30 p.m., and April 26 at 2:30 p.m.