Saturday 19 September 2015

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Some of you may know me, but others of you do not so I would like to say a quick hello. Hello, I'm Alisha and I'm in year 13 at a school in Birmingham called BOA. At BOA I do musical theatre as well as two a-levels.

It being our final year, we are completing some shows (it's usually three a year but who knows if they'll keep it that way) and I thought what better way to help us to fill the seats was to announce it on here. Yes I know that this is only a little blog but it would really mean a lot for people to consider coming to see us perform. 

Now on to the important section: 

What even is the show? 
Well I'm glad that you asked. From the 15th to the 17th of October we are going to be putting on Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Old Rep Theatre in Birmingham. 

This show is based on the classic film musical of the same name that came out in 1967. People may know it because it hosts the legendary performer Julie Andrews who is famous for playing Mary Poppins and Maria. In the film version, Julie Andrews plays Millie Dilmount alongside other legends of that era such as James Fox, Beatrice Lille, John Gavin and Mary Tyler Moore. 

What's the show about? 
Set in New York City in the 1922, Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the story of young Millie Dillmount from Kansas who moves to New York in search of a new life for herself. Her grand plan is to find a job as a secretary or stenographer for a wealthy man and then marry him. But things are never going to be that easy.

The height of the Jazz Age in New York is shown with the frisky flappers, dashing leading man and a dragon-lady of complete villainess and all the 'new moderns' like Millie are ready to jump into the heart of this explosive (tap crazy) musical and discover love, life and villainy.

Some facts about the show:
The screenplay for film version Thoroughly Modern Millie was written by Dick Scanlan and Richard Morris. When the film was turned into a musical in 2002, Dick Scanlan and Richard Morris wrote the book as well as this, Dick Scanlan wrote the new lyrics. Whilst Jeanine Tesori composed the new music for musical.

In 2002, this musical was nominated for 11 Tony Awards, which it won 6 of these: including Best Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Sutton Foster), Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Harriet Sansom Harris), Best Choreography, Best Orchestrations and Best Costume Design.

This musical started of the career for one of the biggest stars on Broadway at this current moment in time; Sutton Foster. She actually started off as a member in the Ensemble but the leading lady before the musical went onto Broadway left the production and Sutton Foster was promoted to play Millie Dilmount.

Now onto our production:
As I mentioned earlier, our production is running from the 15th to the 17th of October at the Old Rep in Birmingham. We have two casts who are going to be performing two out of the four show run. Both of our casts are absolutely brilliant and I have to say that I have some insanely talented young men and women in my year.
Two beautiful ladies, Ellie Moloney and Tallulah Wheatley, are are leading ladies. Both of whom are insanely talent and hold the show so well. It truly doesn't matter which cast you see because you will not be disappointed with seeing either of these ladies. Their love interests are played but Tom Jones and Billie Downes who are both gifted with gorgeous voices and rugged good looks that make them into the perfect leading man. The best friend to Millie is played by Shona Eaton and Heather Foster who may play the roles very differently but both will one day go places. And the second leading man, Trevor Graydon, is played by Aidan Cutler and Dylan Hartnell. Trust me when I say that none of these actors should be missed.

Oh and there are three more characters that we should mention. The comedic duo and their evil boss, Mrs Meers. The two ladies playing Mrs Meers have this unusual talent to incorporate comedy into their villainous ways and have a marvelous way of grasping accents easily. I have a lot of respect for Katherine Ellis and Casey-joe Dowling. And then the light side to the musical, the henchmen Ching Ho and Bun Foo are played by Harry Jones and Gianni Cantone for Cast A and Harry Sheasby and Lewis Warren for Cast B.

It would take so long to mention every single person in the cast but I am telling you this. This show is not one that people want to miss. You need to come and see this show.

Cast B is performing on Thursday the 15th of October at 7:30pm and on Saturday the 17th of October at 2:30pm. Whilst Cast A is performing on Friday the 16th of October at 7:30pm and on Saturday the 17th of October at 7:30pm.
Here is a link to buy some tickets because it would really be nice to have some more support: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/103304

Please come and see the performance, it really would mean a lot to myself and the rest of the company.

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 51
XXX





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