E-S students preparing musical comedy, ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie,’ for trio of performances
Students at Eleva-Strum Central High School are gearing up for their fall musical production, Thoroughly Modern Millie, with three shows slated for this weekend, Nov. 13-15.
Based on the book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the story of young Millie Dillmount, a small-town girl from Kansas who travels to New York City with big plans to get a job, and marry for money instead of love—a thoroughly modern aim for a girl in 1922. Yet she quickly realizes just how different city life is from small-town Kansas.
Showtimes for the musical are set for Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14, beginning at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. in the Central High School auditorium. Tickets are on sale through the high school office for $7.
Millie (Katie Solfest) takes a room at the Hotel Priscilla for Young Women, run by the mysterious Mrs. Meers (Grace Olson), a scorned actress who takes out her revenge on the young girls of the Priscilla. Working for Mrs. Meers are Ching Ho (Mason Klopp) and Bun Foo (Michael Zaremba), two Chinese immigrants who want to earn enough money to bring their elderly mother over to America.
As Millie settles in at the Priscilla, she meets the wealthy Miss Dorothy Brown (Halle Nicolet), who wants to experience how the poorer half lives. Millie and Dorothy end up roommates and embark on their modern adventure together.
Millie takes a job at Sincere Trust as a stenographer for Mr. Trevor Graydon III (Tyes Balk). As Millie and the girls go out to celebrate, they meet a swaggering young man named Jimmy Smith (Kevin Tomlinson), who shows them the secrets of the city, which results in their landing in jail for a night.
Jimmy and Millie stay on good terms, however, and through Jimmy, Millie makes friends with the famous singer, Muzzy van Hossmere (Taylor Weier). Ms. Dorothy accompanies Millie in her pursuits, falling in love with first Mr. Graydon, and then Ching Ho. Millie finds herself more and more attracted to the charming and exasperating Jimmy Smith, although he does not offer the rich and fanciful lifestyle she has envisioned for herself. Meanwhile, Ms. Dorothy finds herself in grave danger at the hands of Mrs. Meers.
Hidden identities and secret plots—all is revealed in the end of this “thoroughly modern” musical comedy!
Other cast members are as follows: Paige Nelson (Miss Flannery); Priscilla Girls—Kallista Hering (Gloria), McKayla McElwaine (Ethel Peas), Brielle McKillip (Alice), Allison Olson (Rita), Coreen Rindahl (Ruth), Gracie Schadrie (Cora), Annabelle Vikingson (Lucille).
The “speed tappists” are played by Madisyn Balk, Skylar Gullicksrud, Paige Nelson, Allison Olson and Isabel Walsh; the “moderns” are played by Cyarra Frederickson, Brandon Gunderson, McKayla McElwaine, Chelsey Riggen, Jacob Solfest, Dustyn Topper and Jocelyn Topper.
Organizing the musical are John Artisensi, director; Joe Scaffidi, pit band director; Anna Westaby, assistant director.
