Thoroughly Modern Millie
at W. T. Woodson High School

Reviewed on April 27, 2019

Kamryn Upson
Freedom High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

In the 1920's, it seemed as though everything was changing: music, crime, women. All of these transformations and more occur right before your eyes in W.T. Woodson's fun and flare filled production of Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Written by Jeanine Tesori, Dick Scanlan, and Richard Morris, Thoroughly Modern Millie is based on the 1967 film of the same title, which was previously based on the 1956 English musical Chrysanthemum. It premiered on Broadway in 2002, and won 6 Tony awards including Best Musical. The story follows protagonist Millie as she navigates her thoroughly modern life as an aspiring actress and newly-turned flapper in 1920's New York City.

Leading the cast of this buoyant production was Hannah Black as Millie. With incredibly impressive dancing and confident deliveries of powerful songs, Black truly showed each and every twist and turn of Millie's journey to wealth and fame with genuine emotion. She also created impeccable chemistry with other characters such as the clever and charming Jimmy (Eric Tysarczyk), the sweet and innocent newcomer to the Hotel Priscilla for aspiring actresses Miss Dorothy (Marlaina Horewitz), and the malicious and sly so-called manager of the hotel Mrs. Meers (Sara Willcox). While each of these characters was excellent when sharing the stage, they also commanded the platform while on their own with great comedic timing and admirable vocals in the songs "What Do I Need With Love," "How the Other Half Lives," and "They Don't Know."

Hannah Black's intricate choreography was mesmerizing, whether it was classic dance moves from the 20's such as the Charleston, dazzling lifts, or complex tap routines. All of the numbers with Black's creative choreography kept the audience smiling and gasping with awe and delight.

The technical aspects of this sunny production were just as bright and cheerful as the show itself. The lights, operated by Nathan Cain and Kelly Ward, were expertly chosen to consistently correspond to different themes in each of the scenes. For example, pink lights were exuded during characters' discoveries of love and moments of romance. The use of projections, executed by Sara Short, were incorporated mainly to display English translations of the Chinese that was spoken throughout the show, and sung exquisitely in the song "Muqin." This was delivered by the henchmen working for Mrs. Meers, Ching Ho and Bun Foo played by Gin Choi and Dylan Dipasupil, respectively. Another beautiful technical piece that was integrated into the show was a very clean and elegant cut out of the New York City skyline. This added a simple yet captivating touch to the set.

The impeccable charisma and comedy that this production's cast brought to the stage had the audience saying gimme gimme some more of the sweet mysteries of life that W.T. Woodson's performance of Thoroughly Modern Millie never failed to provide.

Claire Darcy
Osbourn Park Theatre Arts
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Picture the Roaring 20s: lively music, flapper dresses, and bootlegged alcohol. W.T. Woodson truly lived up to the excitement and charm of the jazz age in their production of "Thoroughly Modern Millie." With the book and lyrics written by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, the show was adapted from the original 1967 farce musical starring Julie Andrews; it ran on Broadway from April 2002 to June 2004 with Sutton Foster in the title role.

The show begins when small town Kansas girl Millie Dillmount moves to New York City in hopes of landing a job and a husband -- her rich boss Mr. Graydon. She unexpectedly falls for the poor salesman Jimmy Smith, and becomes close friends with Miss Dorothy, the well-to-do girl next door. All the while, the scheming hotel owner Mrs. Meers is selling orphaned girls into "white slavery," targeting Miss Dorothy throughout the show.

Hannah Black did an outstanding job of portraying Millie's sassy characteristics, most notably while she and her friends were dancing the night away in a speakeasy. Black executed dance moves with grace and careful precision as she tapped in the elevator and swung with Jimmy, played by Eric Tysarczyk. Tysarczyk gave an extremely convincing performance through his many gestures and facial expressions, especially when he pantomimed his journey to get to Millie via scaling the exterior of the 20th story of her office building. His vocals were powerful, sweet, and emotional – truly reflecting Jimmy's conflicted feelings as he fell for Millie in songs like "What Do I Need With Love."

Sara Willcox was magnificent in her rendition of the sinister Mrs. Meers. She adopted the crotchety voice and mannerisms of an old woman, and produced an extremely comedic character. Willcox's vocals were powerful as she snapped in "They Don't Know" and bribed workers Ching Ho (Gin Choi) and Bun Foo (Dylan Dipasupil) in "Muqin." Choi and Dipasupil had lovely voices as they sang in Chinese, great physical presentation of their characters, and a wonderful dynamic that made true their brotherly love. As Miss Dorothy, Marlaina Horewitz used strong acting choices to make it clear that she was playing an adult character. Horewitz sang in a style that was true to the show's time period, truly emulating singers of the 20s.

The many dance numbers were choreographed by Hannah Black, and were fitting for the Charleston style of the 1920s. As Millie typed, she tap danced along to symbolize the clacking of the keys while ensemble members formed a stunning kick line. Colorful lighting, by Nathan Cain and Kelly Ward, helped bring the mood of the show into stronger focus: pink as Millie and Jimmy realized their love for each other, and red as Mrs. Meers had intense moments. The WT Woodson Pit Orchestra did a phenomenal job of setting the scene; their skillfully played score told a story before the show had even started.

The cast and crew of W.T. Woodson High School's "Thoroughly Modern Millie" figured out the "sweet mystery of life:" a lively show full of bright colors, upbeat songs, and romance.

Kameren Brown
Northwood High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

Learn how the other half lives with W.T. Woodson High School in their roaring rendition of Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Thoroughly Modern Millie is depicted in the 20s, the era of jazz, flappers, and modernism. Millie Dillmount (Hannah Black), a wide-eyed Kansas native, stumbles into the bustling walkways of Times Square with nothing but the dream of marrying a well-to-do bachelor and all the rationality of a modern woman. After charging into a hasty Manhattan man, he gives her the address of a lurchy hotel. It is run by an eerie old woman and filled with struggling actresses. Millie struggles to find work until she earns her place as a stenographer, giving her the opportunity to seduce her affluent boss. She later realizes that she not only crashed into the man from the sidewalk, Jimmy, but also into his heart, and then she must decide between maneuvering love with her brain as a modern woman or falling into a green glass love.

W.T. Woodson High School's staging and production of this musical tapped (literally) into the hearts of viewers. The vocalists maintained an upbeat tone that matched every click of their tap shoes. Creativity beamed from every corner of the stage, from the makeshift elevator to the detailed peacock feather walls of the flapper/jazz lounge. The orchestra beautifully encapsulated every transition making for a smooth flowing show.

Hannah Black's (Millie Dillmount) impressive dance numbers and dazzling vocal solos successfully portrayed the wonderful energy of New York City. But as she tried to forget about the boy, Eric Tysarczyk (Jimmy Smith) had other plans. He practically held the audience's heart in his hands with suspense as he flailed off the ledge of a building for his love. His vocal talent also shined in the second half of the production, beautifully leading the couple to discover what they each needed with love.

Sara Willcox delightfully delivered the villainous and slimy perpetrator of "white slavery" Mrs. Meers. Her hunchback of evil and well done faux elderly voice were highlights to this production. Wilcox also stirred the audience with her red lit solo, "They Don't Know," which nicely gave way to her schemes. Entering her friendship with Millie in a very 'princess and the pauper' like mannerism was Marlaina Horewitz (Miss Dorothy). She immediately stunned the audience with her soprano in the duet "How the Other Half Lives," setting the tone for the talent showcased in the rest of the show.

Millie (Hannah Black) and Jimmy's (Eric Tysarczyk) green glass love affair was beautifully illuminated under the glowing moon that adorned the entire set. The flapper dresses and sparkly headpieces added to the glamorous flare of the 20s and the harmonious jazz sax from the orchestra. The Chinese translations for each of Chin Ho (Gin Choi) and Bun Foo's (Dylan Dipasupil) beautiful duets (such as "Muqin," "Not For the Life of Me," and "Ah! Sweet Mystery") were well thought-out, necessary additions to the production on tech's part. Although the vocals of the background esemble were hard to hear at some points, the show was still strong from the detailed New York skyline silhouette to the sunset mood lighting.

All in all, the stand out dance numbers and impressive orchestra who anchored this production made W.T. Woodson High School's renidition of Thoroughly Modern Millie one you won't want to miss!

Kathryn Webb
St. Paul VI Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Everything today is thoroughly modern at W.T. Woodson! Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the story of an ambitious young Kansas girl, Millie Dillmount, who moves to the Big Apple with big dreams during the Roaring Twenties. As modern as they come, Millie is determined to marry her boss to make her living, and is convinced that when it comes to marriage, love has nothing to do with it.Thoroughly Modern Millie, based off of the 1967 film, first came to Broadway in 2002, with music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan, and book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan. Full of tap dancing, comedy, and love from beginning to end, W.T. Woodson High School embraced the modern spirit of Thoroughly Modern Millie to create a show that was teeming with an infectious energy.

Leading the show as the self-proclaimed modern was Hannah Black as Millie Dillmount. Black brought all the ambition and drive to Millie that makes her such a memorable character. As the student choreographer, Black truly shined in her dance moments, in tap and beyond, where she executed her own choreography with impressive grace and ease.

Opposite Black was Eric Tysarczyk as the paperclip salesman and ladies' man, Jimmy Smith. Tysarczyk's voice was angelic, hitting every high note that came his way. Tysarczyk and Black worked well off of each other, and their stubborn and flirtatious bickering created real satisfaction for the audience when they finally realized, in numbers like "I Turned the Corner," that love's got everything to do with it.

Also bringing some of the most impressive vocals of the show was Marlaina Horewitz as Miss Dorothy. Miss Dorothy is the soprano to end all, Horewitz fulfilled all the demands of her character and then some by blowing away audiences with her elegant, almost operatic voice, and charming stage presence. Will Ivey, as Trevor Graydon, joined Horewitz for the intense, passionate, and hilarious "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" where the two joined their powerful vocals to become a force to be reckoned with.

Sara Willcox stole not only the lives of young girls as she sold them into white slavery, but also the show as Mrs. Meers. Willcox had a delightfully maniacal stage presence, both as Meers and Daisy Crumpler, with a clear difference between the two. Willcox commanded the stage in her solo number "They Don't Know," where impressive light cues backed up her already powerful personality, demanding everyone's full attention. Willcox was supported by Dylan Dipasupil and Gin Choi as Bun Foo and Ching Ho. The two were easily lovable while on their quest for love and family, while their dialogue was translated from Chinese by projected subtitles by Sara Short.

Woodson's production teams combined to create atmosphere with real attention to detail. Period undershorts were created for more dance heavy roles by the costume designers, Marlania Horewitz and Lydia Matson. The lighting design, by Nathan Cain and Kelly Ward, used colors to reflect the mood of the scene. The color pink represented love, which dimmed and grew with the music in Jimmy's "What Do I Need With Love?" which helped Tysarczyk's strong vocals convey even more emotion.

The company of W.T. Woodson's Thoroughly Modern Millie combined to overcome the demanding dance, vocal, and technical requirements that come with doing this show. What the show asks from its company, it gives back to the audience ten fold. The audience enjoyed a truly modern performance that showed the power of a green glass love and the things that can happen only in New York.

Angelina Cate
Fairfax High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

What happens when you mix a girl in a new city waiting to take life by storm with some new friends in high places, a beautiful boss, a boy who will ruin all of her plans, and a white slavery ring? W.T. Woodson High School had the answer as they provided a glamorous glimpse into the Roaring 20s in their spectacular production of Thoroughly Modern Millie.

This musical comedy is based on the 1967 movie of the same name. With music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan, and a book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, Thoroughly Modern Millie initially took to Broadway in 2002 and had a run of over 900 performances. The musical also won six Tony Awards, including the award for Best Musical. The show takes place in 1922, and focuses on a young girl, Millie Dillmount, as she journeys into New York to start a new life for herself in the age of the Moderns. She searches for life and love while discovering the despicable evidence of a slavery ring running rampant through New York City.

As soon as Millie graced the stage fresh off of the bus from Kansas, the ensemble harmonically welcomed their audience into the city that never sleeps. Millie Dillmount, played by Hannah Black, spearheaded the production with her illustrious dance moves and her clever wit. Whenever Black was on stage, there was an undeniable spark of passion as her character faced the many perils of being a young woman facing the world. By her side stood the awkward, yet lovable, Jimmy Smith (Eric Tysarczyk), a man who was unwavering in his ambition and in the fight to express his true feelings for Millie. Tysarczyk took the stage by storm with his heavenly vocals and hilarious mannerisms. Tysarczyk stole every scene and the heart of every audience member. The chemistry between the two propelled the plot and had the room waiting with baited breath for their characters to fall in love.

Other standout performers included Gin Choi, Dylan Dipasupil, and Sara Willcox who played Ching Ho, Bun Foo, and Mrs. Meers respectively. The trio became the crowd favorites the minute the entered the stage. During their song "Muqin," they flawlessly transitioned from Chinese to English while singing as if their lives depended on it. Choi and Dipasupil continually left the room wanting more and sneaked their way into the hearts of every person present.

In order to shape the scene around the stars, the lighting crew beautifully illuminated the cast in an array of colors meant to display emotion. The lighting team, headed by Nathan Cain and Kelly Ward, lit up the stage in hues of pink to show love and red to show villainy to immerse the audience in the characters and their stories. Another element used to aide the audience's experience was the provision of captions. In Thoroughly Modern Millie, there are characters who speak Chinese as well as English, and to ensure that the audience was able to understand their hilarity, the team of Sara Short and Declan McAlevy projected captions onto the stage behind the actors. The projection team skillfully matched their slides to the spoken dialogue so there was no questioning what was taking place, a tremendous feat.


Thoroughly Modern Millie at W.T. Woodson High School was the perfect escape into the jazz age of the 1920s with unexpected twists to keep the audience on their toes.

Dyuti Basu
Northwood High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

Beat the drums, because here comes Woodson High School's production of Thoroughly Modern Millie!

Based on the 1967 movie of the same name, Thoroughly Modern Millie chronicles the story of a young starry-eyed girl who takes the plunge into 20th century Manhattan in the hopes of finding a wealthy man. When she meets Jimmy Smith; however, her plans of marrying rich and living luxuriously quickly become derailed.

Full of life, comedy, and choreography worked to sheer perfection, this production of Thoroughly Modern Millie left the audience taping their toes to each dance number and humming along to the orchestra's exceptional execution of daunting 1920's jazz.

With a radiant personality and dressed to kill, Hannah Black illuminated the stage as quirky flapper Millie Dillmount. Eric Tysarczyk's performance as Jimmy Smith provided a sincere insight to his outwardly tongue-in-cheek character. Each of his songs left the house spellbound and desperately wanting more of his effortless vocals. The two actors exhibited refreshingly genuine chemistry on stage with one another that truly made audience members invested in the outcome of their love story.

One of the show's strongest songs was the simultaneously outrageous yet earnest duet between Miss Dorothy (Marlaina Horewitz) and Trevor Graydon (Will Ivey). Horewitz's light and spinning vibrato paired with Ivey's immaculate baritone singing lead to a hilariously melodramatic encounter filled with heart and even a bit of ballet. Sara Willcox also did wonders on embodying her character of Mrs. Meers. From her hunchback posture to her fluid shifts in dialect, Sara Willcox portrayed a multi-layered and complex villain. Of course, her brilliant ensemble work with Gin Choi and Dylan Dipasupil (playing Ching Ho and Bun Foo respectively) quickly made the iconic trio a fan favorite.

The technical crew of Woodson High School's performance deserve a big hand for a job well done. The lighting was masterfully designed and executed by Nathan Cain and Kelly Ward, who utilized the cyclorama in various scenes to light the stage up with a thematically fitting color (yellow for Millie's empowering analogy to canneries, red for Mrs. Meers chilling "They Don't Know" song). With smooth transitions and a clever use of projections, stage managers Katelyn Bonaccorsy and Kelly Ward seemed to miss no detail with the tech of this production.

All in all, Woodson High School's performance was filled to the brim with show-stopping numbers, intricate scenic design and choreography polished to its core. Each audience member walked away tinged with this production's palpable 1920's charm.