Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002 Original Broadway Cast)

Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002 Original Broadway Cast)

Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002 Original Broadway Cast)
List Price: $11.99
Our Price: $8.87
You Save: $3.12 (26%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.39 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Listen soundtracks from this album



(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

Music CD Cover

Brand: THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
Edition: Music CD
Format: Cast Recording
CD Release Date: 2002-06-11
Music Label: RCA Victor Broadway
Soundtracks:
  1. Overture (Orchestra)
  2. Not for the Life of Me (Sutton Foster)
  3. Thoroughly Modern Millie (Sutton Foster and Ensemble)
  4. Not for the Life of Me (Sutton Foster, JoAnn M. Hunter, Alisa Klein, Jessica Grove, Megan Sikora, Catherine Brunell and Kate Baldwin)
  5. How the Other Half Lives (Angela Christian and Sutton Foster)
  6. Not for the Life of Me (reprise) (Ken Leung and Francis Jue)
  7. The Speed Test (Marc Kudisch, Sutton Foster, Anne L. Nathan and Ensemble)
  8. They Don't Know (Harriet Harris)
  9. The Nuttycracker Suite (Orchestra)
  10. What Do I Need with Love? (Gavin Creel)
  11. Only in New York (Sheryl Lee Ralph)
  12. Jimmy (Sutton Foster)
  13. Back at Work (Orchestra with Sutton Foster, Anne L. Nathan and Ensemble)
  14. Forget About the Boy (Sutton Foster, Anne L. Nathan and Ensemble)
  15. Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life/I'm Falling in Love with Someone (Marc Kudisch and Angela Christian)
  16. I Turned the Corner/I'm Falling in Love with Someone (quartet/reprise) (Gavin Creel and Sutton Foster, Marc Kudisch and Angela Christian)
  17. Muqin (Harriet Harris, Francis Jue and Ken Leung)
  18. Long as I'm Here with You (Sheryl Lee Ralph and Male Ensemble)
  19. Gimme Gimme (Sutton Foster)
  20. Finale (Thoroughly Modern Millie) (Gavin Creel, Angela Christian and Ensemble with Sheryl Lee Ralph and Sutton Foster)
  21. Final Bows (Entire Company)

Free Music Notes for Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002 Original Broadway Cast)

Free Music Review: Good old-fashioned musical comedy!
Hit: 5 Stars

Based on other reviews of the cast recording of Thoroughly Modern Millie, I almost don't feel qualified to share an opinion. Unlike most of the critics who have weighed in on this CD, I have not seen the original film; I have no frame of reference with which to compare this recording (or the production) to the film on which it is based. Take that as a frame of reference for the comments that follow; nonetheless, I find the CD quite enjoyable and expect to be listening to it regularly for quite some time.

The credits for songwriting and lyrics on this recording state that Jeanine Tesori is responsible for "new music", and Dick Scanlan is responsible for "new lyrics" (the book, just to round out the list, was written by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan). The particular choice of words comes from the fact that only about two thirds of the material in the score is completely original. The title song and "Jimmy" both come from the original film (though they were written by different people); "The Speed Test" is an adaptation of Arthur Sullivan's "Patter-Trio" from Ruddigore; "Muqin" is a Mandarin adaptation of Sam Lewis's "Mammy"; even Tchaikovsky gets put into the mix with a simmering version of his "Nutcracker Suite". Finally, we are treated to over-the-top versions of Naughty Marietta's "Oh! Sweet Mystery of Life" and "I'm Falling In Love With Someone" (by Victor Herbert). All of these songs, however, have been massaged by Scanlan and Tesori so that they fit into the context of the score, which seems to have been bathed in a Roaring 20s sensibility.

The story of Thoroughly Modern Millie was constructed as a loose parallel to The Wizard of Oz, with Dorothy replaced by Millie Dillmount (Sutton Foster), a young girl from Kansas who hopes to make New York City her Oz. The plot follows Millie as she plies her trade as a stenographer in the Big Apple. Taking dictation is just a step on the way to Millie's final goal: to ensnare the love (and money) of her wealthy boss, Mr. Trevor Graydon (Marc Kudisch). Millie is relentless, but she is derailed by her attraction to Jimmy Smith (Gavin Creel), and by Jimmy's apparent attraction to Millie's friend, Dorothy (Julie Connors). Add to the mix a subplot involving evil hotel owner Mrs. Meers (who runs a white slavery ring), her two Chinese immigrant assistants (both of whom want to bring their mother to America, and one of whom is smitten with Dorothy, who Meers wants to kidnap for use as a slave -- confused yet?), and frequent run-ins with a popular singer named Muzzy Van Hossmere (Sheryl Lee Ralph)... and you have the classic formula for an old-fashioned, unbelievably contrived, and highly enjoyable musical comedy.

The score sets a brisk pace right from the opening phrases of the overture, and where the music is not bold and brassy, it's gently boiling, or comic, or incredibly eager. Sutton Foster, who won this year's Tony for Best Actress, puts in a vocal performance that makes heads turn. From the opening "Not For The Life Of Me" through "Jimmy", "Forget About The Boy" and "Gimme Gimme", she nails note after note with incredible strength, clarity, and emotion. Most of the cast, including the generally celebrated Sheryl Lee Ralph, pale by comparison (though it may easily be argued that Ralph's two songs - "Only In New York" and "Long As I'm Here With You" do not take full advantage of her vocal ability). The other exception is Gavin Creel, whose rendition of "What Do I Need With Love?" is engaging, coming off with a refreshing effortlessness that is seldom heard anywhere.

Several of the songs in the show are comic: though Harriet Harris's work as Mrs. Meers does not allow her to belt like Ms. Foster, she puts in an admirable turn of Cruella DeVil-esque acidity, and "Muqin" (sung with her assistants Ching Ho and Bun Foo) is an enjoyable tribute to Jolson -- or it would be, if Jolson spoke Mandarin. "The Speed Test" takes the traditional Gilbert & Sullivan patter song and turns it on its ear; unlike G&S patter, however, "The Speed Test" starts with Thomas Graydon (Marc Kudisch) giving a dictation test, and ends as a company production number. Finally, the amusing speakeasy treatment of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite" is to be admired.

Jeanine Tesori's original music is hummable, if a little similar throughout the score; if you are a fan of her earlier work, Violet, you will recognize some of the same musicality. Scanlan's lyrics, while suffering from occasional anachronism, are effective without pandering to easy rhymes. The orchestrations, by Doug Besterman and Ralph Burns, are firmly rooted in the 20s style, complete with big brass sounds underscored with banjo and ukelele. For the cast recording, some additional strings were added to the orchestra; these tend to be muted but give many of the slower numbers a fun movie house feel.

Thoroughly Modern Millie is a genuine, unabashed throwback to the style of musical theatre that was popular in the 20s and 30s. I believe there is a place for that style of music today, especially for those of us who retire to classics like Singin' In The Rain, Babes In Arms and Anything Goes for pick-me-ups on rainy days. If you're a fan of any of those, you're instantly a fan of Millie. If you're not a fan of those other shows, I can state with complete confidence that Millie will make you a fan of Sutton Foster.

Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002 Original Broadway Cast) Poster

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
Title: ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST
Street Release Date: 06/11/2002
Domestic
Genre: CAST RECORDINGS

Broadway & Vocalists Music CDs

Music Genres
Top music charts in Broadway & Vocalists Music CDs
Elegant Evening ImageGeorge Shearing, Mel Torme - Elegant Evening
SHEARING,G/TORME,M; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $7.17
Price in other shops: $11.98
Spring Is Here ImageStan Getz - Spring Is Here
Release date: 1993-01-11; Music CD
Price in other shops: $8.98
Girl Singer ImageRosemary Clooney - Girl Singer
Release date: 1999-04-01; Music CD
Best price: $8.97
Price in other shops: $8.98
Nog ImageThe Blenders - Nog
Release date: 1998-10-20; Music CD
Best price: $9.74
Price in other shops: $15.99
Girl ImageBrave Combo, Tiny Tim - Girl
TIM,TINY/BRAVE COMB; Release date: 1996-03-19; Music CD
Best price: $10.36
Price in other shops: $16.98
Southern Journey, Vol. 11: Honor The Lamb - The Belleville A Cappella Choir ImageBelleville a Cappella Choir - Southern Journey, Vol. 11: Honor The Lamb - The Belleville A Cappella Choir
Release date: 1998-02-10; Music CD
Best price: $83.93
Love Songs ImageDiane Schuur - Love Songs
Release date: 1993-05-11; Music CD
Best price: $4.00
Price in other shops: $11.98
Love Is the Thing [Vinyl] ImageNat King Cole - Love Is the Thing [Vinyl]
Release date: 1996-11-19; Music CD
Best price: $169.99
Linda Ronstadt: Greatest Hits ImageLinda Ronstadt - Linda Ronstadt: Greatest Hits
Release date: 1998-01-13; Music CD
Price in other shops: $29.98
Sounds of 66 ImageBuddy Rich, Sammy Davis Jr - Sounds of 66
Release date: 1996-09-17; Music CD
Price in other shops: $10.98
Top Rated Albums
Crazy for You (1992 Original Broadway Cast) ImageCrazy for You (1992 Original Broadway Cast)
CAST-BROADWAY; Release date: 1992-05-19; Music CD
Best price: $7.31
Price in other shops: $11.94
Little Women The Musical (2005 Original Broadway Cast) ImageLittle Women The Musical (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
Release date: 2005-05-03; Music CD
Best price: $12.13
Price in other shops: $18.98
Hairspray (2002 Original Broadway Cast) ImageHairspray (2002 Original Broadway Cast)
Release date: 2002-08-13; Music CD
Best price: $6.39
Price in other shops: $11.99
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying ImageHow to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Release date: 2011-06-07; Music CD
Best price: $9.98
Price in other shops: $18.98
An Evening With Sutton Foster - Live At The Cafe Carlyle ImageSutton Foster - An Evening With Sutton Foster - Live At The Cafe Carlyle
Release date: 2011-03-15; Music CD
Best price: $12.81
Price in other shops: $18.98
Shrek: The Musical - Original Broadway Cast Recording ImageShrek-The Musical - Shrek: The Musical - Original Broadway Cast Recording
Release date: 2010-06-28; Music CD
Best price: $12.67
Price in other shops: $18.98
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast) ImageThe Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Release date: 2006-06-06; Music CD
Best price: $13.08
Price in other shops: $18.98
Thoroughly Modern Millie: Vocal Selections ImageThoroughly Modern Millie: Vocal Selections
Hal Leonard; Cherry Lane Music; Published: 2003-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.98
Price in other shops: $17.99
Anything Goes / N.B.C.R. ImageAnything Goes - Anything Goes / N.B.C.R.
Release date: 2011-09-20; Music CD
Best price: $12.48
Price in other shops: $18.98
Thoroughly Modern Millie ImageThoroughly Modern Millie
Universal Studios; Release date: 2003-06-03; DVD
Best price: $7.71
Price in other shops: $14.98
Compare prices and find music notes for more than one million Music CD titles