Sometimes it just takes the right person in the right part to turn a show into a showcase for its star. Such is the case with Janet Allison who plays Millie Dillmount in SLT’s blockbuster production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie”. And Julie Andrews’, Sutton Foster’s, Susan Egan’s shoes aint easy to fill folks. But watching “TMM” last weekend (I saw it all three nights), I found myself sneaking back into the theatre to watch Janet fully embrace what it is to grab a role by the horns and kick it through the ceiling. Whether it’s the heartfelt “Jimmy”, the desperate “Gimme Gimme” or the out and out fun “Thoroughly Modern Millie”, Janet has done just what I was rooting for her to do: she’s given her fans something to cheer about and her naysayers something to be jealous about, and I applaude her for both. So here’s a little interview I did with Janet…and if you miss her this weekend, you are truly missing out on something special.
Name: Janet Allison
Age: 23
Occupation: 3rd grade Teacher
Jay Coffman (JC): What role are you playing in Thoroughly Modern Millie? Tell us a little about the role.
Janet Allison (JA): I am playing Millie Dillmount. She is a small town girl with big dreams of re-inventing herself in New Your City. Although her dreams are immediately and consistently challenged she refuses to give up. Millie is a determined, go-getter, who always manages to make lemons into lemonade.
JC: What do you think will be your biggest challenge in this role?
JA: My biggest challenge will be finding and defining my character. I'm still working on that part of my acting.
JC: How like or unlike your character are you?
JA: Just like Millie, I tend to go after what I want. It isn't easy to stop me when I set my mind to something. I have big dreams and sometimes it takes a lot to bring me back down to reality. Unlike Millie, however, I'm not as blind to my surroundings and naïve. I'm also not awkward and clumsy.
JC: Have SLT audiences seen you in any previous productions?
JA: I was recently in this season's Peter Pan, and I've appeared in The Wizard of Oz, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Footloose, State Fair, and others.
JC: Any dream roles you have not yet played?
JA: Eva Peron from Evita, Kathy from The Last 5 Years, Penny from Hairspray, Maria from Sound of Music, Marion from The Music Man, Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady.
JC: What was your worst/funniest/most uncomfortable stage experience?
JA: This is a hard question! My worst stage experience was probably during Urinetown at USC Upstate. I had lost my voice and could hardly speak or sing for the entire run of the show.
JC: What was your best stage experience? (I have a feeling she’ll be updating this one!)
JA: My best experience was getting to take my final bow in The Wizard of Oz. There is nothing like it.
JC: When did you get your start acting/singing/dancing?
JA: My senior year of high school.
JC: Do you have any preshow rituals/superstitions?
JA: I take about 2 hours to do my hair and make-up. I get to the theater before anyone else does, put on some loud music, and have fun getting myself ready. Once everyone arrives I like to talk and fool around so I need to get ready before they get there.
JC Any role usually played by the opposite gender that you'd like to do?
JA: I would love to play Coalhouse Walker from Ragtime because his story is so moving and heartbreaking. He sings a fantastic song at the end of the Musical that I would love to just belt out! I would also like to play either Franz Liebkind or Roger De Bris from The Producers. Both parts are absolutely hysterical!
Come see Janet as Mille Dillmount in The Spartanburg Little Theatre’s production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” on March 6-8 and 13-15 at the Chapman Cultural Center in Downtown Spartanburg. Tickets available at www.chapmanculturalcenter.org. More information is available at www.spartanburglittletheatre.org.
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