Thoroughly legal Milly

It’s been more than half a decade since Milly May Smithy, the leggy, mouthy, twangy alter ego of performance artist Brigid Murphy graced a Chicago stage. In her halcyon days, when Murphy would pack the Park West with her vaudeville spectacular Milly’s Orchid Show—through which Blue Man Group was originally introduced to Chicagoans and David Sedaris, then a local, was given stage time to try out new material—the very name Milly carried a certain cachet. Milly was more than just a character. She was an attitude. Milly was a state of mind. She was maybe even a fragrance.

But, having lived in Chicago only six years, I’ve never actually seen the likes of Milly May Smithy. A famously reclusive stage creature in recent years, Murphy has trotted her out much less frequently than she used to. (Out-of-town venues have hosted the most recent Orchid Shows.) Murphy’s often-curvy career has sent the artist spinning off in multiple directions. In recent years, for example, she’s been occupied primarily with designing bowling ball bags.

But now word comes that Milly’s headed back to town. For her 21st birthday. Celebrating twenty-one years of general infamy—"Milly’s finally legal!" is the hook for the event—Murphy will be strapping on her Milly boots at the Park West on July 19. Included in the Orchid Show lineup this time will be Nora Dunn, Blue Man Group, Robbie and Donna Fulks, Poi Dog Pondering, at least one Flamenco dancer and many more yet to be confirmed.

For years Murphy has been pestered (both by longtime fans and people like me who’ve never seen the real thing) to revive Milly, so it’s great to see her celebrating 21 years in public. “After this, though,” Murphy recently told us, “I’m out of gimmicks to bring her back.”

If you think she’s not bluffing, get thee to the Park West in July.