Character guide
Mrs. Meers
Mrs. Meers is the scheming, larger-than-life villain of Thoroughly Modern Millie, running the hotel where much of the musical's comic intrigue unfolds.
- Show
- Thoroughly Modern Millie
- Premiered
- 2002
- Role
- Supporting
- Composer
- Jeanine Tesori
Who is Mrs. Meers?
Mrs. Meers operates a boarding hotel for young women in 1920s New York while secretly disguising herself and running a far shadier scheme behind the scenes. She is played broadly for comedy, an over-the-top theatrical villain whose exaggerated disguise and accent make her instantly memorable within the show's farcical tone.
Her presence gives the musical its comic tension, providing obstacles and misdirection that complicate Millie's plans and those of the other young women staying under her roof.
Playing Mrs. Meers on stage
Mrs. Meers is a supporting role but a coveted one, since it is written as a showcase for a performer with big comic instincts, sharp timing, and a flair for theatrical villainy. The part calls for confident character work rather than the leading lady vocal demands placed on Millie, making it a favorite for actors who love playing larger-than-life comic roles.
Audiences enjoy Mrs. Meers because she embodies the show's playful, cartoonish sense of danger, a villain to boo and laugh at rather than fear, fitting perfectly within Thoroughly Modern Millie's affectionate spoof of the silent-film era.
Frequently asked
What show is Mrs. Meers from?
Mrs. Meers appears in Thoroughly Modern Millie, the 2002 Broadway musical scored by Jeanine Tesori.
Is Mrs. Meers a lead or supporting role?
Mrs. Meers is a supporting role, written as a big comic villain part within the ensemble.
Who wrote the music for Thoroughly Modern Millie?
Jeanine Tesori wrote the music for the show.
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