Britt Shubow is Thoroughly Modern Millie in DE

"Life upon the wicked stage ain't never what a girl supposes…" wrote Oscar Hammerstein in Show Boat, but that's not the truth for actress Britt Shubow.   Ms. Shubow has discovered that life upon the "wicked" stage is everything she supposed it to be, and she's ready to prove it again having just arrived in Lewes from New York City to star in Clear Space Productions presentation of Thoroughly Modern Millie.

"My parents took me to New York to see Cats at the Winter Garden when I was five.  It was my first Broadway show and I just fell in love.  I knew then that I wanted to be up there on that stage.  What I never dreamed was that twenty years later I would be starring in Mamma Mia! and appearing on that very same Broadway stage!" 
 
A native of Baltimore, Britt began to study dance seriously at age eight as the first part of her journey to becoming a professional.  As a teenager she attended the Baltimore School of the Arts and the Carver Center for Arts and Technology, a nationally recognized leader in arts education in Towson, Maryland. It was while she was a student at the Carver Center that she first met Ken Skrzesz, where he taught dance, acting and directed the musicals.
 
"From the moment I had her in my first class, I knew that Britt was a true 'triple-threat' performer - she could sing, dance and act with equal proficiency," said Skrzesz.  He is not only her former teacher, but currently the Executive Director of Clear Space Productions and the director and choreographer for Thoroughly Modern Millie. "I knew she was destined to have a wonderful career and hoped that she would make her way into a Broadway show."  Skrzesz directed Ms. Shubow in Fiddler on the Roof and Guys and Dolls prior to inviting her to star as 'Millie' for Clear Space.  
 
After graduation, Shubow left Baltimore and moved to New York to attend New York University as a theatre major.  She spent her breaks from NYU doing summer stock including the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts where she appeared with Ethan Hawke.  Prior to her graduation she was featured in an "industry night" at NYU.  Broadway producers were brought in to get a preview of the graduating talent and Shubow attracted the attention of several producers that evening.
 
"My parents had purchased tickets to Mamma Mia! for my birthday in April of 2002.  Exactly one week later I received a call to audition for the show, auditioned that afternoon and was offered the job that night!  I graduated one month later at Radio City and two weeks after that I was back on stage at Radio City performing at the Tony Awards.  That was the year that Thoroughly Modern Millie won best musical over Mamma Mia!  Now I've had the chance to star in both shows." 
 
"When Britt called me and said that she was taking over the role of Sophie I knew I had to be there," said Skrzesz.  "You can't imagine what it feels like to be sitting in the Winter Garden theatre, have the curtain open and see a person you know and love sitting there alone singing the opening number!  I felt that the expectations I had for her life had come true.  It's such a pleasure to be able to work with her again."
 
A reception at La Rosa Negra follows the July 21st show for Ms. Shubow and the cast.  Tickets to this event may be purchased through the Clear Space box office.

Thoroughly Modern Millie will appear in the Little Theatre at Cape Henlopen High from July 19th through July 22nd at 7:00, with a matinee on Sunday, July 22nd at 2:00.  The show then moves north to the Schwartz Center for the Arts in Dover for two additional performances on July 26th and 27th.  For tickets to the local performances, please call the Clear Space box office at 644.3810.  For tickets to the Schwartz Center, please call 302.678.5152.  Tickets will be on sale at the door for all performances as well.

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