Music Theater of Idaho Brings Thouroughly Modern Millie

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“Thoroughly Modern Millie” takes place in the 1920s, and is a lighthearted musical about a young woman trying to be modern and make her place in the world — plus marry her boss. For the Music Theater of Idaho's production, opening night is just a few days away. Thouroughly Modern Milli is a 1967 American musical film directed by George Roy Hill and starring Julie Andrews. The screenplay by Richard Morris focuses on a naive young woman who finds herself in the midst of a series of madcap adventures when she sets her sights on marrying her wealthy boss.

The soundtrack interpolates new tunes by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn with standard songs from the 1910s and 1920s, including "Baby Face" and "Jazz Baby." For use of the latter, the producers had to acquire the rights from General Mills, which had used the melody with various lyrics to promote Wheaties for more than forty years.
The film is set early in the flapper era, beginning on "Thursday", June 2 of 1922, although in fact this day was a Friday. Millie Dillmount's ambition is to find work as a stenographer to a wealthy businessman and then marry him – a thoroughly modern goal. Millie befriends Miss Dorothy Brown as the latter checks into the Priscilla Hotel. When house mother Mrs. Meers learns Miss Dorothy is an orphan, she remarks, "Sad to be all alone in the world." Unbeknownst to Millie, the woman is selling her tenants into white slavery, and those without family or close friends are her primary targets.
At a friendship dance in the hall, Millie meets the devil-may-care paper clip salesman Jimmy Smith, to whom she takes an instant liking. However, she carries on with her plan to work for and then marry a rich man, and when she gets a job at Sincere Trust, she sets her sights on the attractive but self-absorbed Trevor Graydon. Jimmy later takes her and Miss Dorothy on an outing to Long Island, where they meet eccentric widow Muzzy Van Hossmere. Jimmy tells the girls that his father was Muzzy’s former gardener.
Although Millie is falling in love with Jimmy, she is determined to stick to her plan and marry Trevor. One morning, she goes to work dressed as a flapper and attempts to seduce him, but her effort fails. Eventually, Trevor sees Miss Dorothy and falls in love with her and vice versa, leaving Millie heartbroken. Meanwhile, Jimmy's attempts to talk to Millie are continually thwarted by no-nonsense head stenographer Miss Flannary. He eventually climbs up the side of the building and when he finally gets to talk to Millie, she tells him she is quitting her job since Mr. Graydon is no longer available. Mrs. Meers makes several attempts to kidnap Miss Dorothy and hand her over to her Asian henchmen Bun Foo and Ching Ho, but Millie manages to interrupt her every time. The rest of this rowdy, bawdy comedy is filled with hilarious twists and turns.
Music Theatre of Idaho, Inc. was founded as a non-profit, 501 (c) 3 corporation, in order to provide opportunities for individuals to expand and explore their interests in musical theatre production while presenting the community with professional quality, family-centered, affordable live musical theatre. Further, the MTI seeks to engage and educate persons of all ages through outreach programs centered on live theatre production. Since 1997, the MTI has grown into a thriving arts force in the Treasure Valley. The MTI provides performance opportunities for over 200 persons each season and over 10,000 patrons are treated to the MTI’s professional quality, affordable and family centered musicals each season. In five years’ time the MTI has developed a subscription base of over 1400 season ticket holders. The Music Theatre of Idaho is absoluteley committed to its original mission. Each year the MTI produces one or more “Arts in Education” productions for students of the Treasure Valley. Each season, thousands of area students are introduced to the magic of live theatre through the MTI's educational productions. The MTI is staffed by over 100 community service volunteers from 6 years old through senior citizen age. During production season MTI volunteers contribute over 700 community service hours per week.
My family will be headed out to see this high-spirited musical romp that has all of New York dancing the Charleston. It’s the zany new 1920’s musical that has taken Broadway by storm, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical! Thoroughly Modern Millie by Music Theater of Idaho: Thu-Sat Feb 14-16 at 7:30 pm; Matinee Sat Feb 16 at 1:30 pm Nampa Civic Center

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