Thoroughly Modern Millie, first opened on Friday April 12th, was a fantastic mix of talent, interesting plot, and color.
The leads Maria Starling and Chase Hauser spearheaded the performance with their interesting interpretation of both their lead characters. In Millie Dilmount one could recognize the bubbly, occasionally quirky personality of Maria Starling, whereas in the clever, city slicking demeanor of Jimmy Smith, audience members could simultaneously get to know Chase.
Occasionally, however, the plot was confusing. Senior Tara Young played Mrs. Meers, an evil hotel owner who kidnapped orphaned girls and used them for reasons revealed later in the play. Yet, it was sometimes puzzling as to how this side story related to the play in its entirety until the very end.
The plot was perfectly clear between Millie and Jimmy, and kept audience members at the edge of their seats. For example, Millie was interested in marrying Senior Gavin Barba, playing big business owner Trevor Graydon, yet could be seen slowly falling in love with her close friend Jimmy Smith.
The confusion was only minimal compared to other aspects of the play. Mrs. Katie Wilson cleverly incorporated two Chinese speaking students into the performance, making the plot seem all the more realistic. Ching Ho, played by Willi Li, and Bun Foo, played by Joseph Park, would often playfully banter back and forth on stage and with subtitles.
The audience laughed at the silliness of their conversation topics, and further found it both hilarious and professional at the use of the actual Chinese language as an incorporation into the play.
The performance was not only racially diverse but included a variety of colors and costumes that awed audience members. The stylish, and sparkling, designs of flapper dresses, bob hair cuts, and strap-on heels made the performance all the more enjoyable.
Dozens of dancers filled the stage with their pink, blue, or even green get ups as the orchestra filled the theater, making the act as dazzling as the time period in which it took place.
Overall, thoroughly Modern Millie was a beneficial closing number for the soon to be graduating seniors at CCHS. While multiple seniors were featured as main characters in the performance, so too were a number of underclassmen, making the performance enjoyable for everyone.