The Glorious Ones: Playwright: Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty. At: Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, 7016 N. Glenwood. Phone: 866-811-4111; $17-$22. Runs through Nov. 21
Thoroughly Modern Millie: Playwright: Jeanine Tesori, Dick Scanlan and Richard Morris. At: Drury Lane Oak Brook, 10 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. Phone: 630-530-0111; $29-$38. Runs through Dec. 20
A lot of theater critics ( myself included ) have gotten snooty about the big trend of new musicals based upon Hollywood movies. "Where's the originality?!" we lament.
But originality doesn't always make for a better musical. This is apparent when comparing two local productions of new musicals from this decade: Drury Lane Oak Brook's smashing rendition of 2002's Thoroughly Modern Millie ( based upon the 1967 Julie Andrews film ) and Bohemian Theatre Ensemble's earnest Chicago premiere of the uneven 2007 off-Broadway show The Glorious Ones.
The Glorious Ones clearly has elements that should work in a musical: a score by the Tony Award-winning team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty ( Ragtime ) and a very theatrical subject of a commedia dell'arte troupe facing artistic and personal changes both on and off stage.
But Ahrens and Flaherty's structural device of giving each character a chance to reminisce directly to the audience dilutes the focus. Also, inter-troupe jealousies and unrequited love crushes get introduced and then go frustratingly unexplored.
With such a fragmented approach to the plot ( remembrances about a charismatic acting troupe leader who would rather die than desecrate his populist improvisational art ) , there is very little for audiences to care about.
Yet even with this material that doesn't live up to its storytelling potential, Bohemian Theatre does a great job of presenting it. Director/set designer Stephen M. Genovese has assembled a strong cast that sings the pleasant score wonderfully and un-amplified.
Teresa Ham's renaissance costumes by are lush, and Genovese's pocket-size set design is spot on. But this is a case of the material letting down the cast and crew.
As for Thoroughly Modern Millie, it's not the greatest or most original of film-to-stage transfers ( what with all its interpolated song standards and PC revisions ) . But who cares when Drury Lane delivers such a razzle-dazzle staging?
Director William Osetek has cast the production marvelously, and Tammy Mader's tap-happy chorography is guaranteed to plaster a smile on your face. Every aspect of the production design marvelously captures the exuberance of the optimistic 1920s in Manhattan.
As Millie Dillmount, Holly Ann Butler straddles her character's bright-eyed innocence and undying gumption to get ahead and marry wealthily. She's partnered wonderfully with her handsome potential beaus of the fancy-free Jimmy Smith ( Mark Fisher ) and Mr. Trevor Graydon ( Randall Dodge ) .
Even better character work comes from Paula Scrofano's sneaky Mrs. Meers, while Melody Betts brings the house down musically and comically as the jazz singer socialite Muzzy Van Hossmere.
Drury Lane's superlative Thoroughly Modern Millie is actually a case when the home-grown production is better than the national Broadway tour. When it's this good, just drop your qualms about film-to-stage adaptations and go have a great time.