The school of theater and dance teams up with the school of music to produce “Thoroughly Modern Millie”
By Katie Hudson, contributing writer
Posted on February 19, 2007

Although the opening night of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” may have been pushed back a day due to snow and ice, the cast brought a surprisingly explosive performance Wednesday night.

“It was a blessing in disguise,” director Kate Arecchi said when asked how the weather delay affected the show. “Everyone had so much energy built up.”

The energy was easy to see on stage from the beginning until the end. Senior Kirstin Riegler, who played the lead role of Millie Dillmount, turned out to be a triple threat, showing off her acting, singing and impressive dancing.

“I was so nervous tonight,” Riegler said. “This was my first lead role.” Luckily, the nerves did not show up for any of the cast members.

Junior Jake Odmark’s performance as Jimmy was just as impressive as Riegler’s. He delivers a rather convincing, strong-willed businessman who in the end becomes tangled up in love. 

Despite the talented leads, what made this show worth the visit was the supporting cast.

Senior Brynn Dorsey’s portrayal of Mrs. Meers, a Chinese  con artist seemed to be the audience favorite.

“She was an amazing performer,” said freshman audience member Courtney Rauch. “I was really impressed with her Chinese accent.” Dorsey’s comical timing was impeccable, especially when switching back and forth from an English to Chinese accent.

The laughs continued with senior Matthew Duré’s character Mr. Graydon, whose theatrical voice was just as powerful as his character’s personality.

The light-hearted musical comedy was performed in flapper-style costumes, which were revisited throughout the show. Jenner Brunk’s costume design, featuring long pearl necklaces, bobbed hair and colorful skirts fit accordingly with the 1920 time period. 

Along with the suitable costume design, the stage background was somewhat simple, with elongated New York City buildings that had a changing sky from blue to pink to dark purple. Although the set was straightforward, it still managed to set the mood and allowed the audience to focus more on the actors while in the industrial city.

“I’ve seen this play done before in high school, but this performance was so innovative. It was all done so professionally,” freshman audience member Kendall Wadsworth said.

The orchestra, conducted by faculty member Patrick Walders, was flawless. They managed to produce jazzy music and at the same time not overpower most of the actors. Although junior Jessi Elgin’s performance as Muzzy, the rich friend, was believable, there were times when it was difficult to hear her voice over the orchestra.

With barely any glitches, it was a successful night to say the least.

“There was nothing I would have changed about the performance. What’s done is done,” Arecchi said.

All of the intense rehearsals since January paid off. Overall, Riegler gave the most memorable performance of the cast, perhaps due in part to her 12 musical numbers.

“The audience really helped tonight. We were able to get laughs in places that we never got them,” Riegler said.

The school of theatre and dance and the school of music’s production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” was a light-hearted musical that turned out to be quite worthwhile. The show ran from Feb. 14 through Feb. 18.