The 1920s of New York City will come to life at Tabor Academy’s production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” Feb. 18 to 20.

An award-winning Broadway musical and Academy Award-winning film, “Thoroughly Modern Millie” takes place during the height of the Jazz Age when "moderns," including a flapper named Millie Dillmount, bobbed their hair, raised their hemlines, entered the workforce and rewrote the rules of love.

Self-discovery is at the heart of the Tabor Academy production as all of the principal characters make a surprising discovery about their identities – often by falling in love with an unlikely person.

Kansas-born Millie Dillmount flees to New York to become a modern woman by marrying a wealthy guy in a business arrangement. Her friend, Dorothy, seeks to find herself by escaping her wealthy upbringing and living as a working class woman. Jimmy seeks the playboy’s life without ever risking a long-term loving relationship. Bun Foo and Ching Ho seek to be reunited with their Chinese mother.

Other principal characters include Muzzy Van Hossmere, a famous nightclub performer and mentor to Millie; a failed actress turned criminal who disguises herself as a Chinese madam of a boarding house for young women; Trevor Graydon, the executive who is Millie’s dream husband (until she meets Jimmy); and the tyrannical office manager for Mr. Graydon. The chorus includes the Priscilla Girls and Tappers, and the Moderns, a group of twenty-two students who will entertain in song and dance.

The international cast and crew includes a number of students from around the South Coast. The director is John M. Heavey with musical direction by David Horne. The technical director is Richard Van Voris while Susan Kistler designed the set. The costumes were designed by Annemarie Fredericks, Ruth Finnie, Mitsuyo Kim, Sophie Polonsky and Kyle Horton. Tabor’s InDesign class, taught by Karen Alves’s, designed the posters.

The cast and crew invite the local community to the show, which will take place at the Fireman Center for the Performing Arts in Hoyt Hall at 235 Front St. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on February 18, 19 and 20 with free admission.