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Photo, Larry Pry

It’s a New Day at The Muny…Thoroughly Modern Millie is a visual and musical delight

By Tony Viviano
Special to TodaysSeniorsNetwork.com

Publisher’s Note:  Tony Viviano is a St. Louis entertainment legend, and has, over the years, become St. Louis’ favorite singer.  When a family health situation arose that prevented us from seeing the opening night, Tony , who is a fan of The Muny and other St. Louis stage shows, stepped in to help us out. If you are interested in booking Tony for your party, dinner or just a great show, click here

It’s another hot St. Louis Summer, time for the tradition of The Muny, the country’s premier outdoor music theatre to welcome back the adoring crowds…Nothing has changed, it seems, until you realize that with the entrance of Mike Isaacson as the new executive producer, a new energy has been instilled into the venerable site.

And, what better way to start than with Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which Fox Associates and Mike, who used to work with The Fabulous Fox Theatre, won a Tony as the best Broadway Musical, one of its six Tony’s that year, in 2002.

It’s a show made for the massive Muny stage, with elaborate production numbers that reflect and earlier era—1922—when Millie Dillmount arrives in New York from Kansas.  This is not like Mary Tyler Moore arriving in Minneapolis-St. Paul, although both Mary and Millie had a certain naiveté.  But 1922 was long before women began emerging in society, and were relegated to secretarial-type jobs, such as the speed-typing test scene.

Add the rural background of Millie, played to perfection by Tari Kelly, against the backdrop of the start of the Flapper Era and you have a mix of fun, breaking loose and, more than a bit of Cotton Candy like theater—sweet and fun.

Or is it?  After all, Millie has a plan—marry a rich man (hello Anna Nicole Smith).  A part of the multi-faceted story line deals with ‘white slavery’ , and the attempts of Mrs. Meers (Beth Leavel), the evil force who sends orphan girls, such as Millie’s friend, Miss Dorothy Brown ( Megan McGinnis) away to prostitution rings in China (remember the TV Commercial where many years in the future  a Chinese instruction talks about how all Americans work for them?  Mrs. Meers was just ahead of her time).

There are many other instances that could be cited, but let it rest that each seems so improbable (even with the grain of truth cited above), that the mix is a madcap evening of pure entertainment, color and spectacle.

As a performer of many years, I must mention the performance of Leslie Uggams.  Ms. Uggams is a consummate professional who has excelled in all that she does.  Her performance as Muzzy Van Hossmere continues that tradition. 

Added to that, we discover that Muzzy Van Hossmere is really the stepmother of Jimmy Smith (Andrew Samosky), who is the emerging love interest of Millie, and of Miss Dorothy, who , of course, is rescued from ‘white slavery’, and that Jimmy and Dorothy are siblings of untold and previously unknown wealth.

Ms. Uggams is absolutely striking in her performance of ‘Only in New York’, reflecting a sense of timing, humor, and self-assuredness that only truly great performers possess.

And, as noted, there seems to be a new burst of energy at the venerable Muny.  It is reflected in costuming, staging and a freshness that we believe exemplifies the professionalism of Mike Isaacson.