WHAT'S UP BROADWAY FANS?! We are just 11 DAYS AWAY till Broadway's biggest night of the year, the 73rd Annual Tony Awards. Are you ready for another big Broadway number on our TOP 40 TONY AWARDS COUNTDOWN? Here it comes!!
At # 11 on our countdown, we take you back in time to New York City in the year 1922 where a small town girl moves to the big city to live in the "modern" flapper lifestyle, have a successful career, and unexpectedly finds love. This is Thoroughly Modern Millie. With music by Tony winner Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan, and a book by Dick Scanlan and Richard Morris. the show is based on the acclaimed 1967 film of the same name (which several songs from the original film were also in the show).
From the 2002 telecast, Tony winner Sutton Foster in her breakout performance as "Millie Dillimount" and the cast perform a medley of the showstopping Act 2 opener FORGET ABOUT THE BOY before the full cast comes on to perform the finale reprise of the show's title song.
THOROGHLY MODERN MILLIE was originally conceived in 1999 by Tony winner Michael Mayer. Following 3 years and readings and workshops, the show had it's world premiere run at the La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, California in 2001.
FUN FACT: Originally Kristin Chenoweth was cast to play "Millie" following having created the role in the readings and workshops. However, she dropped out due to work on her short lived NBC sitcom KRISTIN. Broadway veteran Erin Dilly replaced Chenoweth for the world premiere run. However prior to the first preview performance, Dilly got extremely sick and dropped out of the show. Meanwhile Sutton Foster (originally cast in the Ensemble and served as Dilly's understudy) was plucked from the chorus to the starring role. From there, Foster wowed the sold out crowd and a star was born.
The show officially arrived on Broadway in 2002 at the Marquis Theatre for 935 performances total. Under the direction of Michael Mayer and choreography by Rob Ashford, the cast starred….
Sutton Foster (later Tony nominee Susan Egan) as "Millie Dillimount",
Tony and Olivier Award winner Gavin Creel (later future Tony winner Christian Borle) as "Jimmy Smith",
Tony winner Harriet Harris (later Delta Burke and Dixie Carter) as "Mrs. Meers",
Tony nominee Sheryl Lee Ralph (later Leslie Uggams) as "Muzzy".
The musical was nominated for 11 Tony Awards that year winning 6 including Best Musical and Best Leading Actress in a Musical (which became the first ever for Sutton Foster).
Following the success of it's original run on Broadway, the show went on to become a worldwide hit. Today, the show is a popular choice for schools, community, and regional theatres everywhere.
Doesn't this show make you want to Charleston and tap your stuff?!!
#TonyAwards #CountdownToTheTonys #NYBTTop40TonyAwardsCountdown #BroadwaysBiggestNight #ThisIsBroadway
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