MTC Premiering Broadway Classic This Weekend

6ABC anchor Rick Williams will put his recognizable baritone to a more entertaining use this weekend when Moorestown Theater Company (MTC) premieres tap spectacular Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Williams, of Moorestown, plays Trevor Graydon, one of only two male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical, which follows a small-town girl who heads to 1920s New York City looking to marry a wealthy man. Williams—along with the rest of his family—has appeared in many MTC shows, and this is his ninth as a lead performer.

The anchor said part of the appeal of the show is its humorous, lighthearted tone—which stands in contrast to Williams' often somber day job.

Graydon, he said, is "pretty much kind of an arrogant goofball. He's a funny character, which is why I like him. I like comedic characters."

Williams and his wife took tap lessons over the summer in preparation for the show. Besides being good practice, he said tap is "great exercise" and "good couple time."

For Tamlyn Orlando, who choreographed Millie and last year's 42nd Street, the appeal of tap is all about the energy it brings to a show.

"It's different than other types of dance," she said, "because you have this whole other element, which is the sound ... It literally makes you want to tap your feet."

Besides its infectious energy, Orlando believes families will love the show for its fun, uplifting story.

"It's a great show for young kids," she said. "There are some strong female leads in the show ... It could be very inspiring (for young girls)."

Thoroughly Modern Millie opens at 7 p.m. Friday at the Upper Elementary School (325 Borton Landing Road), with additional shows at 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The show continues its run next weekend with shows at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, and a final show at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24. 

You can buy tickets to the show here or at the door.