Mlle. Modiste, by Victor Herbert, was a Broadway hit in 1905 that concerns a shop girl "who becomes a stage star, the toast of Paris, and weds her beloved in spite of the opposition of his aristocratic uncle." The lesser-known score includes "Kiss Me Again," "When the Cat's Away," "The Mascot of The Troop," "Hats Make The Woman," "I Want What I Want When I Want It." It will be presented at the 45th Street Theatre March 21-April 2. Directed by Thomas Mills, the company comprises Jennifer Bowles (Marie Louise, sister of Etienne), Caitlin Burke (Franchette, a daughter of Madame Cecile), Maxime Alvarez de Toledo (Lt. Rene La Motte, engaged to Marie Louise), Heather Dornoff (Nanette, other daughter of Madame Cecile), Francis Dumaurier (General Le Marquis De Villefranche, lover of young women), Stephanie Fravel (ensemble), Gary Harger (Henri De Bouvray, Comte de S. Mar and arbiter of taste), Bram Heidinger (Capt. Etienne De Bouvray, his nephew), John F. Herget (Francois/ensemble), Leila Martin (Mme Cecile, hat shop proprietor and mother of three unmarried children), Erik McEwen (ensemble), Kristin McLaughlin (Bebe, dancer at Folies Bergere and “friend” of the General), Kristine Nevins (Mrs. Hiram Bent, pillar of Iowa Society), Megan Opalinski (ensemble), Heather Parcells (Fifi, the talented shop girl who becomes the toast of Paris), Nicholas Probst (ensemble), Roger Rifkin (Hiram Bent, an American millionaire and benefactor of milliners), Ric Ryder (Gaston, n’er-do-well and artist, son of Mme. Cecile) and Blake Whyte (ensemble). James Steborg is musical director.
Mlle. Modiste will play Tuesdays-Saturdays at 7:30 PM with matinees Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 PM. Tickets, priced at $19, are available by calling (212) 868-4444 or by visiting www.smarttix.com.
The 45th Street Theatre is located in Manhattan at 354 West 45th Street (between Eighth and Ninth Avenues).