Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ flap highlights how old plays are rife with stereotypes
Small wonder, then, that Asian-American audiences would object to the crude ethnic cartoons in “Millie,’’ and that, more broadly, they would consider the choice between invisibility and insult to be unacceptable in this day and age. In the aftermath of the Newton North controversy, it’s worth remembering that high school productions are frequently the […]
Talk Back: Racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie at NNHS
Thoroughly Modern Millie was offensive to me. White privilege denies me the right to feel the pain I experienced. Whether you are white or a person of color, if you were not offended by the musical, you have no right to deny another’s pain. That’s my takeaway from the Talk Back. Last night I reluctantly attended […]
The Boston Globe Weighs in on Thoroughly Modern Millie
“When the movie starring Julie Andrews premiered in 1967, it was proclaimed “thoroughly delightful” by The New York Times and praised for its flapper costumes, dancing, humor, and singing. Forty-seven years later, a stage version of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” performed at Newton North High School is triggering a backlash from some Asian-Americans who say the […]
MTI Advises How to Squelch Dissent for Thoroughly Modern Millie
I’m getting concerns from parents…..ugh. What exactly are their concerns or comments? Oh, there are Chinese members of the potential cast. AND in that the white slavery was sex related seems to be a lot of over sensitivity to a topic that is such a minor plot point. However, I squelched it by citing other […]
My Take on Thoroughly Modern Millie
I just returned from Thoroughly Modern Millie and I want to start by saying that the cast is incredibly talented and deserves much accolades for a well done show. The leads, particularly Maddy Waters as Millie Dillmont, Aiden O’Neal as Miss Dorothy Brown, Peter Diamond as Jimmy Smith, Kelsey Fox as Mrs. Meers and Will […]
NNHS Responds to Concerns About Thoroughly Modern Millie
This letter was released today in response to the issues related to “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” as outlined on this blog and elsewhere. Village 14 Department of Fine & Performing Arts Newton North High School March 13, 2014 This letter is in response to some recent concerns surrounding Newton North’s production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. It is important […]
Throwdown NNHS: Talk the Talk or Walk the Walk? Regarding Racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie
Dear Principal Price, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Young, This week, I was disappointed to hear about the controversy around North’s production of Thoroughly Modern Millie, and what the students, families, faculty and community will take away from this production. I have four concerns: Valuing one group while marginalizing another – This play was selected for the […]
Thoroughly Modern Millie at NNHS is Thoroughly Racist
Let me start by saying that I am Asian American and that I moved to Newton more than ten years ago because it has a decent sized Asian American population. That is important to me because being the only Asian American can result in significant bullying (as evidenced by my husband who grew up in […]
How Much Do Parents Pay for Newton Public Schools: The SuperCap
Dear Parents and Guardians of Students in the Newton Public Schools: This is a reminder of the $1,200 maximum family cost per year for fees, known as the supercap, which is the maximum combined total of all fees which any given family is asked to pay. There are several combinations of fees which will result in a […]
Newton Family Singers Celebrates Paul Simon
Newton Family Singers Present … LOVES ME LIKE A ROCK A Joyful Celebration of the Music of Paul Simon To Benefit the Asperger’s Association of New England (AANE) and the Autism Alliance of MetroWest Sunday, April 13, 4pm Performing Arts Center at Newton North High School, 457 Walnut Street, Newton
