Hugh C. Williams Senior High School      (continued)

CCSD District Newsletter            April-June  2008

High School Musical. The Broadway hit Thoroughly Modern Millie is scheduled for presentation by the high school Thespians on  March 28^th and 29^th in the high school auditorium.  Directed by Kimberly Busch and Paul Bevins and choreographed by Heather Berkey, this is a new musical version with music written by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics by Dick Scanlon based on the classic movie written by Richard Morris starring Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore. Although some musical themes are similar between the two versions, this musical version features great new ballads, chorus numbers, a tribute to the great 1920’s singer Al Jolson, and tap sequences including a “patter” song that will bring the house down.  When Millie Dillmount (Madeleine Koon) finds herself an unwelcome guest in the big city, she decides to make something of herself and become a “modern” woman in the year 1922. Part of her plan includes finding a rich boss to marry. Trevor Graydon (Joe Newman), Millie’s boss, is an upright businessman of the 20’s who sees Millie as a very able stenographer, but prefers her friend Miss Dorothy (Emily Watson) as his love interest. Millie and Dorothy find themselves living at the Hotel Prescilla – a boarding house for girls - run by the mysterious Mrs. Meers (Kate Gregory) who is assisted by two Chinese boys Chung Ho (John O’Connor) and Bun Foo (Brandon Bartley). The girls are on edge, as some of their housemates turn up missing and they are confronted with news headlines about white slavery. Add to this a charming “paper-clip salesman” named Jimmy (David Spadaccini) who falls in love with Millie, and a night-club singer named Muzzy (Kate Harloe) who offers Millie some sage advice, and you have enough comic combinations to keep an audience in stitches all night long. 

“Jimmy” and Millie.”