Millie brings a ‘thoroughly modern’ touch to UNCP

By Sonia Jackson
Staff Writer

The Broadway musical "Thoroughly Modern Millie" danced onto the Givens Performing Arts Center stage Oct. 6.

The theater was packed with UNCP students and faculty, as well as community members from, but not limited to, the Pembroke area.

The show got started with "Not for the Life of Me," an energetic song and dance number featuring the story's main protagonist Millie Dillmount, a determined young woman, who goes to New York City with plans for a "modern marriage."

The "Thoroughly Modern Millie" song, performed by Millie and the ensemble, followed right along, and ended the first scene on a round of lively applause-an applause that would continue throughout the musical performance accompanied by moments of laughter from the audience.

"I think it's great," a play-attendee, Allison Williams said.

Williams, along with her companion, Venita Jenkins, with the Fayetteville Observer, came from Lumberton to see the Broadway musical. Jenkins said it was good that UNCP was offering such a quality production so near to Lumberton.

Others traveled a little farther to see the musical. Norma Larson, from Southern Pines, said she "loved it."

"It's my kind of thing," Larson said. Larson's husband also said the musical performance was "very lively" and entertaining.

A few audience members had skeptical opinions about certain ethnic depictions and positions in the musical.

Holden Hansen, assistant professor of theatre at UNCP, said "Thoroughly Modern Millie" was a musical patterned after a musical comedy of the 1920s and the "characters are presented as broadly comic," in response to concerns about stereotypes in the play.

Hansen also said he didn't think the musical set out to intentionally demean any specific ethnicity with stereotypes and he simply took it as it was--a light-hearted comedy.

The second act of the show continued on with such animated songs as "Forget about the Boy," but didn't lack for the romantic songs like "I Turned the Corner" and "I'm Falling in Love with You."

The performance ended on the same high, energetic note it came in on with a repeat of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" performed by the entire cast. Cast members were greeted with applause when they took their bows, but it was Millie, played by Alex Eliss, who received a standing ovation.

Patricia Fields, development director at the GPAC, said she was pleased with the audience and the positive response they gave and described the night with one word: "Great."

Over 1,000 tickets were sold for "Thoroughly Modern Millie," Fields said.

The Broadway musical "Thoroughly Modern Millie," based on the 1967 Oscar-winning movie of the same name, won six Tony Awards including an award for Best Musical and Best Orchestration, and was directed and choreographed by Joey McKeenly.

"Thoroughly Modern Millie" with its romance, humor and adventure, combined with the music of song and dance ended the night on a thoroughly excellent note.

It was a great show. Great music," Simonee Gonzalez, a senior at UNCP, said.