IN Los Angeles
June 1-14, 2004

The sign of a true blue musical is when you can't get the damned songs out of your head. In this case, it is impossible to walk out of Thoroughly Modern Millie without shaking your rump a little, while humming "EVERY-thing TO-day is THO-rough-ly MA-dern. Doo DOO dee doop."

This multi-Tony Award-winning show is a welcome throwback to the decadence of the old school, splashy musical. Written by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, with new music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics by Scanlan, the show has proven itself on the Broadway stage, and now this current company pulls it off splendidly. Directed by Michael Mayer, the frothy sweet performance is like a giant milkshake, with the new cast as the proverbial cherry plunked on top.

Darcie Roberts gives a flawless performance as Millie Dillmount. Her huge smile, lanky figure, and powerhouse pipes are perfectly suited for the role of the charming, if exasperating, modernized woman who sets her sights on marrying for money in the big city. Roberts gets to show off her vocal talent early on with the catchy title song, and enjoys her deserved moment in the spotlight with the commanding tune "Gimme Gimme." Moments like this can feel a bit self-indulgent, but is expected within the context of this type of musical. She moves with ease, and seems entirely comfortable in the now-famous role that she has made her own.

Roberts shares the stage with pride alongside her cohorts, including the sweet-voiced Miss Dorothy Brown (Diana Kaarina), and her boss Trevor Graydon (Sean Allan Krill), whose foppish performance puts an endearing personal stamp on the character. Though the love songs between Millie and her tentative love interest Jimmy (Joey Sorge) do not possess the same kind of memorable "oomph" as the rest of the tunes, they are sweet enough. Janelle A. Robinson as Miss Flannery, the crotchety head stenographer, complete with an aerodynamic hair-do, adds a new level of absurdist comedy.

The real show-stealer is Hollis Resnik as the diabolical Mrs. Meers, a white slave trader disguised as a Chinese hotel owner, who mispronounces her "l"s with glee. Flanked by her sidekicks, Ching Ho (Andrew Pang), and Bun Foo (Darren Lee), the trio garners laughs as soon as they appear on stage. One of the most interesting aspects of this show is that it is unafraid to be un-PC, and yet manages to be completely inoffensive. When the boys kick off their rendition of "Muqin," dedicated to their mother in Hong Kong, the result is sidesplitting.

The choreography by Rob Ashford is impeccable, and is highlighted by Martin Pakledinaz's luscious costumes that glitter with each twirly and toe-tapping number. The entire production, it seems, is so heavily polished that it seems to glow. This, in itself, creates a bit of distance between the performance and its audience. The show has been on tour for nearly a year-though the cast's enthusiasm is as fresh as opening night, they have developed it into such perfection, that it lacks some of that "you go girl!" attitude that the original production garnered. But for anyone seeking a delicious treat, this is the place to satisfy your sweet tooth.