THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, IT's a HIT!!!
Written: Jul 05 '03 (Updated Jul 02 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sutton Foster, Tony award winner.
Five other well deserved Tony's
Cons: Finding our way to into the theatre.
The Bottom Line: This is a go see play, especially at reduced prices.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Thoroughly Modern Millie |
My wife and I were at the TKTS booth at the South Street Seaport on Wednesday morning. This is one of the two places in Manhattan where you can find some theatre tickets sold at half price for same day performances.
We both had ideas as to what we were hoping might be available. Unfortunately our first choices were not on the board for sale. We then narrowed it down to Man of LaMancha and Thoroughly Modern Millie.
Though we love going into the city to see shows neither of us really follow the theatre circuit closely. We picked Thoroughly Modern Millie without any great expectations. We didn't know at the time what awards it received and we didn't even get to read the Playbill before the show because we were seated just as the lights were dimming and the overture began.
THE THEATRE
The play is in the Marquis Theatre on Broadway between 45th and 46th streets, or so the tickets say. Hey that address gets you close but don't bother taking out your tickets for entry just yet. You have a ways to go.
The theatre entrance is actually on the third floor of the Marriot Marquis Hotel. It is a beautiful place, but we, late as we were getting to the theatre, were later still trying to find out how to enter the place.
Follow some poorly placed and worded signs and you will eventually make your way.
The theatre like the hotel itself is modern looking with a bit of elegant flash. Actually, I felt this was a plus for the show we were about to see. More on that later.
We had seats in the orchestra, 20th row. Left side middle of row. The seats were very good. Anything in the orchestra would put you in good view and sound of the show. The balcony I could not see from where I was. It did extend about one third over the orchestra section and I'm sure the first ten rows there would also be very good.
There is wheelchair access and openings in the theatre.
A BIT ABOUT THE SHOW
Usually we find movies follow up as the medium to a good Broadway run. In this case things were reversed. This was a take off on a movie of the same name that made a so-so run in the 1980's. The movie starred Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore.
The play itself was drawn from the book written by Richard Morris who in turn wrote the screenplay for the movie. Dick Scanlon, who also had a hand in writing the book did write many of the lyrics to the music put together by Jeanine Tesori.
The story is a simple, yet complex, without to much though having to be put into it, about a young girl from Kansas coming to New York to seek a new future. She runs into the road block of harsh, big city life, a white slave ring, friendly characters and ultimately her true love.
Remember this is a musical comedy. All flows easily and nothing is to be taken to seriously, except love, of course.
SIX TONY'S
The play did do well and after seeing it I understood why. It received Tony's for the Best Musical, Best Actress, Best Featured Actress, Best Costumes, Best Choreography, and Best Orchastration.
As far as a musical there were a few really great numbers with the full cast. The best ones, however, to me, were when Sutton Foster did a couple songs on her own, and when, to our surprise we saw the gorgeous Leslie Uggams hit the stage and belt out a great song on her own. She just started in the show a few weeks ago.
In between there were a few ho-hum numbers that didn't really leave much impression, but all in all, the music and talent were terrific.
SETS-N-THINGS
The sets were well done and you always knew you were in the big city and like the city itself the different moods of the day were reflected well with the lighting. I had mention earlier about the theatre itself. I felt that the decor of the theatre lent itself to a better surrounding to the stage than perhaps a turn of the century venue might. The gold leaf work and old chandeliers of those oldies would not have blended as well with the stage. I mean this is thoroughly modern Millie.
The decor took on an art deco look that was fun and gave the costume designers plenty of room in which to have fun. The costumes were fabulous from the deco style to the overly made up styles of our oriental character, Mrs. Meers played by Harriet Harris, in the play.
The costumes were perfect for the movement in some excellent choreography.
The music and sound during the play was top notch. No faults and a full rich orchestration came through well.
SOME DETAILS
The play is about two and a half hours long with a fifteen minute or so intermission. Though the first half was thoroughly entertaining, I felt the second half was fantastic!
The show starts at 8:00PM Tuesday through Saturday. There are three afternoon shows. Wednesday and Saturday at 2:00PM and 3:00PM Sundays.
Tickets run up to $100.00 for seats. We did well at half price with the TKTS booth in South Street Seaport. That one opens earlier. There is another right in the heart of Times Square just two blocks from the theatre. There are longer lines and later opening at this one.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Millie being played by Sutton Foster could not have been better cast. She was marvelous and held my attention throughout the play. Harriet Harris, playing a cartoon character of Mrs Meers didn't really make it for me, though she did get a huge hand at the end of the show. Leslie Uggams was dynamite. On this pre Fourth of July show we saw she gave the show some great fireworks.
I especially enjoyed the humour in a couple of scenes where Ching Ho and Bun Foo, a couple of Mrs Meers "friends" did a couple of traditional American songs in Chinese, I think, with a screen put on stage for subtitles like in an opera. This was my kind of humour!
So from going to a play and not expecting much I was completely taken by the story, I loved the way it all came together in the end. Sutton Foster's talent, and the humour of the show made this one a hit for me..
Go see Thoroughly Modern Millie
Downtown Manhattan reviews by Popsrocks
The Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island
Castle Clinton National Memorial
Battery Park Home of the temporary 9/11 memorial.
SOUTH STREET SEAPORT
NY WATERWAY Tour NYC by boat.
Federal Hall National Historic SiteDowntown across from Wall Street, our first Capitol Building was there.
Fraunce's Tavern George Washington ate here. You can too!
Jewish Heritage Museum
St Paul's ChapelA living Memorial to 9/11
Greenwich VillageIt's Hip and Happening
Millenium Hilton., directly across from ground zero. They have reopened!A great location to all that is downtown
More NYC reviews
The Empire State Building
Radio City Music Hall A Spectacular place to see a show!
The INTREPID Sea-Air-Space MUSEUM It's a good one!
Museum of Natural History
TKTS half price tickets to Broadway
Aida, the Broadway Play Great show at half price
Thoroughly Modern Millie A 6 Tony award winner Broadway Play
The Boy From OZ
Central Park
Stardust DinerA great place for before a show in Times Square. Aspiring actors are here.
Sylvia's, a southern soul restaurant in Harlem
Something is Missing A Tribute to the good people and the twin towers that were lost on 9/11 http://www.epinions.com/content_3161628804
Recommended:
Yes
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