<p>I have an unusual piece of musical theater trivia (“trivium,” actually, but who’s counting). I’ll probably have to introduce it as a series of questions, but perhaps someone will get the answer before it goes too far. Perhaps.</p>
<p>Here’s the first question. Others will follow.</p>
<p>What do Erin Dilly and Sutton Foster have in common?</p>
<p>Note: there are several right answers to this question. For instance, barring a great deception, they are both female. I am looking for one particular answer, though, that is not so widely known.</p>
<p>I know at least 2 answers (including the “big” one) - but not fair for coaches to respond, I think. However, I love the idea of MT trivia to get our students learning more about the biz - reading playbill.com and other theatre news sources, etc. :)</p>
<p>I’ll add a new question after this one is answered!</p>
<p>Good for you, Brendan! That’s a great answer, but not the big one. For those of you who don’t know the story, Tilly originally had the role of Millie as the show toured before going to B’way. Tilly was relieved of the role and, after some flirting with the idea of bringing in some “name” actress to take her place, Whoopi Goldberg, one of the producers, convinced everyone to give Tilly’s understudy, Foster, a chance at the role. Foster went on to win a Tony for Millie.</p>
<p>But that’s not the big one. What else do they have in common?</p>
<p>I have three answers… and they just are off of my knowledge of the latter two actors…
Either they all went to University of Michigan for some period of time. (I believe Foster didn’t earn her degree there, but my memory may be failing me…) </p>
<p>OR </p>
<p>They all have siblings who’ve been on Broadway. (Hunter Foster was, of course, in URINETOWN, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and THE PRODUCERS and Andrew Keenan-Bolger who will soon be graduate with a BFA in MT from The University of Michigan played JoJo in SEUSSICAL… </p>
<p>OR</p>
<p>They were all nominated for Tony Awards. This is true of all three of them, though Dilly and Foster were nominated for their Best Actress in a Musical for their roles in CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG and THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE respectively, while Keenan-Bolger was nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE.</p>
<p>I thought Kristin Chenoweth was supposed to be the original Millie in “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” And isn’t the name Erin Dilly, and not Erin Tilly? I am thinking of the Erin Dilly who was in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”</p>
<p>NotMamaRose: Yes. I corrected that above. It’s Erin Dilly. My bad.</p>
<p>sheerviolette: Excellent! You didn’t get the BIG one, but they have all been nominated for Tony Awards, and all in the same year (though none won that particular year). Foster and Keenan-Bolger have brothers on B’Way, but I don’t believe that Dilly does. Foster went to Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p>But GREAT effort!!!</p>
<p>tashmu: I believe that Keenan-Bolger graduated from UM, but I’m not completely sure. But good guess!</p>
<p>I’ve exchanged messages with CoachC who DID get the connection. So, it’s hard, but possible. Thanks to all who are participating!!!</p>
<p>Keenan-Bolger did graduate from UofM. I’m pretty sure that Sutton Foster went to UofM and then transferred. </p>
<p>NMR, Kristin Chenoweth was the “original” choice for Millie, and I believe she was in the workshop. Erin Dilly, however, was the “original” Millie when it was playing in La Jolla. Sutton Foster, her understudy, ended up replacing her. Perhaps I’m too far out of the loop, but it’s always been left quite cryptic why Foster replaced her. It seems to be more out of “artistic differences” than out of a health issue.</p>
<p>Since there’s no more traffic on this thread recently, I’ll give the answer:</p>
<p>Erin Dilly, Sutton Foster, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Danny Gurwin all had major roles on B’way at the same time, and the ALL performed in the same children’s theater when they were growing up! These four did enough work with the professional side of this children’s theater to realistically say they trained there. Others who performed in that same children’s theater include Hunter Foster, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, and Jessica Biel. There are many others from this theater who have been on B’way, in B’way touring shows, on television, etc, but who are not quite as famous.</p>
<p>The name is the Peanut Butter Players. There are programs for all children and a professional program for serious triple threats. All but Jessica Biel, I believe, were on the professional side, but I’m not sure about that.</p>
<p>Myohmyohmy! When you say trivia, I guess that you really mean trivia. How (and WHY) do you know this stuff? I’m a huge Broadway and off- (and off-off) Broadway theatergoer, and since my D got involved in the whole college audition/admittance process, I do admit to reading all of the Playbill biographies to see which schools the actors attended, but how on earth do you know which children’s-theater companies these performers worked in? I’m guessing that your kids have been accepted into their schools or at least have completed their auditions, giving you time to contemplate these weighty matters.
My D did get one BFA acceptance today,(yippee!) so I may soon be able to join in the fun—but I need easier questions</p>
<p>Actually, for obvious reasons, this particular children’s theater is famous in some circles. As I said, the professional end is really a triple threat training program and, as you can see, it’s been a rather successful one.</p>
<p>I know somel kids who have performed and trained there. I simply find it interesting that one children’s theater can turn out so many top B[way performers. It can’t be coincidence, and I suppose it sheds some light on the advantages some kids get in the B’way competition.</p>
However, I love the idea of MT trivia to get our students learning more about the biz - reading