Drury Lane's 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' a true charmer
Musical theater ingénues seeking entree into the local scene may want to set their sights on Drury Lane Theatre Oak Brook.
The folks there have an eye for talent and a penchant for offering plum roles to young actresses who have regional credits, but have yet to make a name for themselves in the Chicago area. Case in point: the delightful Holly Ann Butler, a deserving newcomer who plays the title role in Drury Lane's thoroughly enjoyable "Thoroughly Modern Millie" which began as a middling 1967 movie musical starring Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore, and was refashioned by Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan into a Broadway hit in 2002.
Director William Osetek gives the second-tier musical a first-rate revival, surrounding Butler with a tap-tastic cast and terrific designers. Among them is Tammy Mader, whose sassy 1920s-inspired choreography contributes greatly to the production's appeal. and Tatjana Radisic, whose gorgeous, Jazz Age costumes include a white beaded, red-carpet-ready number that absolutely dazzles. Kevin Depinet also earns kudos for his urbane set dominated by a lean, looming cityscape illuminated by Jesse Klug's jewel-colored lighting.
But for all that, the lead actress has to carry the show, and Butler rises to the challenge.
She plays Millie Dillmount, a plucky Kansas "modern" who goes to New York City in 1922 to seek her matrimonial fortune. For the very determined Millie, that consists of finding a job working for a millionaire and then marrying him. Love does not factor into her plans. Not even when she runs headfirst into it in the form of Jimmy (the affable Mark Fisher, a model leading man), a street-savvy skirt-chaser who's not quite the rogue he appears to be.
Instead Millie sets her cap for her new boss, insurance executive Trevor Graydon (the disarmingly oblivious Randall Dodge). She also tutors heiress and aspiring actress Miss Dorothy (Naperville's Dara Cameron) in the ways of the "modern" which begins with a trip to a speak-easy - where we find Mader's terrific "Nutty Cracker Suite" - and concludes at a police lockup where we're treated to cheeky mug shot poses courtesy of Millie's pals.
Veteran Paula Scrofano delivers yet another masterfully timed comic performance as the menacing Mrs. Meers, the hotel owner who dabbles in white slavery with assistance from her reluctant Chinese henchmen Chin Ho (Richard Manera) and Bun Foo (Paul Martinez). The trio's "Muqin" is one of the show's comedic high points.
The Tesori-Scanlan score failed to impress me initially, but I confess, jazzy, 1920s-inspired tunes have grown on me, especially the bouncy "Long As I'm Here with You" and the sultry "Only in New York" sung by Park Avenue chanteuse Muzzy Van Hossmere, played by Melody Betts, who well deserves the diva title.
But at the end of the day, this show belongs to Butler's eminently likable Millie, a young woman who effortlessly occupies the middle ground between naiveté and cynicism.
The verve and sincerity of her performance recalls that of Summer Smart, another ingénue new to Chicago, whose star-making turn in Drury Lane's 2008 revival of "Sweet Charity" earned her a Jeff Award.
Whether Butler earns similar acclaim remains to be seen, but her winning debut suggests she's carved a place for herself here.
"Thoroughly Modern Millie"
Rating: Three stars
Location: Drury Lane Oak Brook Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, (630) 530-0111, drurylaneoakbrook.com
Times: 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays; 1:30 and 8 p.m. Thursdays; 8:30 p.m. Fridays; 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 6 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 20
Running time: Two hours, 25 minutes with intermission
Tickets: $29-$38, dinner packages extra
Parking: Free lot adjacent to theater
Rating: For most audiences
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