BROADWAY SNAP-SHOT
by Russell Bouthiller
Dateline: April 23, 2002
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
Since the day sound hit celluloid, Broadway has offered up source
material for the movie musical, many of which went on to become classics
of the genre. The hit shows of Rodgers and Hammerstein and Cole Porter
frequently enjoyed healthy runs north of Fourteenth Street before tuning
up on the Hollywood sound stage. Prior to becoming a hit on the silver
screens, chances were that a movie musical had its out-of-town-try-outs
on The Great White Way.
Over the years, however, the tide seems to have turned. While the 1960s saw more musicals earn the Academy Award for Best Picture than any other decade (WEST SIDE STORY, MY FAIR LADY, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, OLIVER!), it also marked the end of an era. Soaring costs, the breakup of the studio system and a growing propensity for realism brought down the curtain on the big-budget Hollywood musical. Confirming this trend was a string of flops, either critically, financially or both. Among them--despite its Oscar for Best Original Music Score--was THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE.
Broadway, too, has felt the pinch of rising production costs. In
adapting a hit movie to the stage, such a production starts out with
immediate name recognition. Market-tested titles, characters, plots and
songs offer the potential for higher sales. If a ticket-buyer liked a
particular movie, he or she may feel more inclined to purchase an
orchestra seat to a Broadway show. After all, ticket prices haven't
exactly gone down over the years.
Roughly half of the musicals currently running on Broadway have a Hollywood connection. THE FULL MONTY, and the juggernaut THE PRODUCERS grew out of original screenplays. SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS may have been born a novella, but it's the movie everyone remembers. Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE LION KING blossomed from blockbuster animated features. 42nd STREET draws on a series of Busby Berkeley films and the current revival of CABARET, which now includes numbers from Fosse's film adaptation, would be playing Don't Tell Mama if it weren't for Liza.
So, why not embark on another film-to-footlights venture? Who cares that the original tanked, but for a handful of critics and a gaggle of old movie buffs? As long as people recognize the title and can hum a few bars from the title song, the producers are ahead of the game. Just look at the most highly acclaimed original musical of the year, URINETOWN. It's doing 65% after 245 performances; THE LION KING is pulling in 101% after 1,886.
Based on the 1967 film starring Julie Andrews and directed by George Roy Hill, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, now at the Marquis Theatre, is more of a musical hybrid than a line-by-line adaptation. Directed by Michael Mayer and with a book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, MILLIE incorporates a couple of songs from the film with a fine collection of new ones by composer Jeanine Tesori and lyricist Scanlan. Included into this "Jazz Age" score is a number based on Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite" as well as a Victor Herbert tune.
Newcomer Sutton Foster stars in the title role as Millie
Dillmount, a Kansas-born kid on her way to becoming a Manhattan "modern"
and looking to snag herself a rich husband to ease the transition. She
is joined by fellow-rookie Gavin Creel as Jimmy Smith, a sweet-talking
man-about-town who literally stumbles upon Millie on her first day in
the Big Apple. From that point forward, he just can't forget about the
girl and vice-versa.
Marc Kudisch, Harriet Harris, Anne L. Nathan, Angela Christian and DREAMGIRLS veteran Sheryl Lee Ralph fill in the secondary slots. The square-jawed Kudisch nimbly tackles the role of Trevor Graydon, Millie's wealthy boss. Christian shines as Miss Dorothy Brown, Millie's kind-hearted room-mate. Nathan flexes her muscle as the bossy Miss Flannery and has the wildest wig this side of Prohibition. Ralph as the Josephine Baker-esque Muzzy Van Hossmere sparkles as the colorful and curvaceous chanteuse. And, Harris proves an able scene-stealer as Mrs. Meers, the mysterious hotel manager with a sideline in the white slave trade.
THOROUHGLY MODERN MILLIE aims to please the audience without taxing its intellect. Tesori and Scanlan effectively capture a Roaring Twenties mode and their "Forget About the Boy" second act opener is bright and brassy, allowing a delightful showcase for choreographer Rob Ashford's tapping talents. Flapper-toned costumes by Martin Pakledinaz offer more fringe benefits than an Enron executive's contract. And, David Gallo's scenic designs bluntly draft Art Deco images.
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE is big on dazzle with plenty of cute and a leading lady who dances like Ruby Keeler which, I suppose, is era-appropriate. Dripping with sugary sweetness, there are moments that may prompt a diabetic spell. Had I left at intermission I would have thought this to be an irredeemable shortcoming. But, somewhere in the second act, thanks to a bubbly supporting cast and their effective comic bits, I found myself licking this lollipop and liking it.