A Musical Comes To Town

Pirate Productions' 30th Anniversary Show

Under numerous talented directors, Pirates has put on close to 50 shows since it was founded in 1979. A truly international production, this year's 1920s musical Thoroughly Modern Millie involves a total of 83 people on and off stage from 12 different nationalities. Prepare to be enthralled by the whole shebang: music, dancing, orchestra, singing, projections, a wild story and a fantastic melange of characters. Amidst the flurry of the final week's rehearsals, 352 catches up with Luxembourgish Director Dominique Vitali and American Producer David Mittel who divulge how they brought Millie to Luxembourg.

Although the show is essentially an amateur production, David Mittel and Dominique Vitali settle for nothing less than the best. Vitali says, "I see it as my job to make everybody look as good as possible and to make the show be as good as possible." Mittel adds, "To me it's not worth it unless you're doing a really good show. It's an enormous investment of energy, emotion and time. If it's not going to be "up there" then what's it all for?"

Vitali and Mittel have been involved in several Pirates shows together in different capacities. Vitali had a career as a professional dancer for 20 years and has since found himself exploring other roles in theatre, including acting, choreographing and directing. He joined Pirates seven years ago as choreographer for Cinderella. Vitali was also involved in Stepping Out (choreography), Showtime (director) and finally La Cage aux Folles (Co-director), which was a wonderful success with standing ovations every night.

The whole team have all been working hard over the last 6 months to get Millie up to the high standards envisioned by its director and producer. The auditions took place over two weekends in March with rehearsals beginning in April and it's been non-stop all the way up to the live shows, which commence next week. Musical Director Philip Dutton formed the 25-person orchestra himself from various different orchestras and ensembles in the region. "Everything is funded by Pirates," Mittel, who is also Chairman, explains. "We're a club with members and members' fees so there's a certain budget there. Sometimes the shows we put on make profit, and sometimes they don't. Hopefully if there's any money left over we'll be able to donate a sum to charities ECPAT and Amnesty, who we have chosen to support through this production."

Casting and Auditions

"We had the choice at the very beginning to decide whether or not to give the main parts to people who have proven themselves, who have done things with Pirates and we know are committed, or to give the chance to a whole bunch of new people, which is a risk because you're giving out main parts to people you don't know," says Vitali. "The Pirates all agreed that we are the first to moan when we go and see shows and always see the same cast. I am very pleased with the decision we took to take new people on as there is so much new talent that has revealed itself."

There are over 35 actors, singers and dancers on stage, of which 9 are principals. "I'm so lucky with the principals," Vitali enthuses. "The principals are all the bigger parts that have a song, or intervening duets. Four of the principals entirely new, they have never done anything with Pirates before." Vitali is full of praise regarding the stars of his cast. "Millie is brilliant, she's bubbly, a fantastic singer, as are Dorothy (Elizabeth Venner) and Jimmy (Timothy Winters). I could go on and on!" Just two of the cast members are professionally trained, and Phoebe Smith (Millie) has been involved in professional theatre in the UK.

"The talent of the people who come out of the woodwork here is amazing," Mittel adds. 'And then we were stuck: we didn't have a leading man, we needed a Jimmy." Following the auditions, the whole cast was in place apart from Jimmy. Luckily for the show, Pirates found the man for the role at the last minute. "I was only going to commit to directing the show after the auditions when I knew that there was a suitable cast out there," confirms Vitali. A Jimmy finally did appear, and the director recalls, "When I saw him, I said to myself, "Please make him be able to sing!" And he could."

Initially, Pirates wanted to choose something big and glam and very well known for its 30th Anniversary. Having been refused the rights to Cabaret (obtaining rights can be a very arduous process) they then opted for something on the other end of the spectrum. "I said to myself if we can't do Cabaret which is well-known, but quite dark, then let's go for something completely the opposite. Let's take the risk of doing something less known in Luxembourg, but go for something very bright, very colourful, very energetic and very silly. And that's how we ended up with Thoroughly Modern Millie," Vitali explains.
The musical score was entirely re-written in the 90s, and for those of you have seen the 1967 Thoroughly Modern Millie film starring Julie Andrews, note that it bears very little resemblance to the show. In total there are 15 songs in Thoroughly Modern Millie. "When you get the rights for a musical you are supposed to do the musical as it is. You are not supposed to change lines, or whole story lines or take out songs, because in a musical the song carries on the story," Vitali clarifies. From the director's perspective, would it not be interesting to be able to adapt and edit the way musicals are performed? "No, not really. When I pick a show I have a tendency to pick shows that I like, because I think as a director you really have to identify with the material. I love the 1920s: everything from the fashion to the design, to art deco, to the music. It's something that talks to me and I wouldn't then go and change it because it would de-structure the whole thing." The director continues. "Writing a musical is like writing a book or a play; there is a way to do it. There is a way to bring the audience up and let them down gently and repeat the cycle and them bring them all the way up for the ending. Why would you fiddle with that? It's all there, all the songs are where they should be, and so you do it that way,"

More than a musical for Pirates 30th birthday

Although a bright and cheerful musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie touches on a subject that both Amnesty and ECPAT campaign against: trafficking. "The storyline is about trafficking young girls, and even though it's done in a funny way, the subject is serious and up to date because it's happening today, and not only in Asia, South America and Africa but in Europe, and even in Luxembourg. We are very pleased that for our 30th anniversary production we could help ECPAT and Amnesty raise awareness on the subject," Vitali states. "The final performance of Millie happens to land on European Anti-Trafficking Day on Sunday 18 October The production will hopefully reach 2100 people and help raise awareness about trafficking," Mittel concludes.

What's the story?

It's 1922 and Millie Dillmount escapes to New York City from Salina, Kansas, determined to improve her station in life. Bobbing her hair and assuming the modern look of a "flapper", she takes a room at the Hotel Priscilla for Women and gets a job as a stenographer at the Sincere Trust Insurance Company. In a short time, she finds herself involved with Jimmy Smith, a poor but fun-loving paper-clip salesman; Miss Dorothy Brown, a gentle aspiring actress who never seems to have spare change; several other stage-struck young women staying at the hotel; and Muzzy van Hossmere, a madcap Manhattan cabaret singer and heiress with a zest for the high life and a glamorous penthouse.

Millie's wealthy but level-headed boss (whom she intends to marry) is Trevor Graydon III. But trouble comes in several respects. First, Millie is falling for Jimmy, but she fears that Jimmy is having a fling with Millie's new friend, Miss Dorothy. In addition, the hotel proprietress, the mysterious and sinister Mrs. Meers, employs two Chinese henchmen, Ching Ho and Bun Foo (who don't speak English). They are helping Mrs. Meers to kidnap any orphaned women checking into her hotel as part of her dealings in white slavery, so that they can bring their elderly mother to America. One of the potential kidnap victims is Miss Dorothy... but fear not, it is a musical after all!

Thoroughly Modern Millie will be performed six times on six consecutive days at the Maison Syndicale in Dudelange. Chairman and Producer David Mittel declares, "Pirates are very fortunate to have found this new location. There are not many places in Luxembourg that are suitable for an orchestra, a full sized stage and space for an audience of 350 all at a reasonable price." Practically it is well situated too, with a free car park a couple of minutes away and journey time is just 15 minutes from Luxembourg City. As it is a musical, the story is easy to follow, and so all nonnative English speakers are also encouraged to come and enjoy one of the Duchy's few musical productions.

Written by Sarah Pitt
Photographs by Steve Eastwood