MRS. DOUBTFIRE Previews- Page 8

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 11/19/21 at 12:31pm

ACL - I'm not entirely sure why they haven't hired a standby yet, but my best guess would be they are waiting until the show is frozen and/or opens. As I previously mentioned, I had heard pre-Covid, they were looking for one and I know despite Rob being a total professional who hates to miss a show (his attendance is pretty pristine in any show) I can't imagine they wouldn't hire a standby to make sure they are fully covered. 

Updated On: 11/19/21 at 12:31 PM

[nycward]

Posted: 11/20/21 at 2:34pm

Saw the performance last night. Got a great pair of tix at TKTS (second row Mezz, center aisle...must of just released some premium priced tix last minute:)

I would title this show "the return of Tootsie." For me that's a mixed bag as I enjoyed both despite some obvious flaws in the construction of the musical. The reason so many film to stage projects fail is the incessant need to turn charming stories in the film medium into big splashy stage events. Mediocre scores staged at breakneck speed become a bit of a blur as one waits for things calm down so that the wit and charm of the story can unfold. Both are also anchored with a brilliant central character played to the hilt by a consummate professional. In this case Rob McClure doesn't disappoint as everyone has noted.

The second act works better because we are given time to relate to the drama and actual ballads are introduced to add some character development. I was moved by the ending but even there was a need to overindulge in every happy trope known to musical comedy neatly tied finales.

I think we'll see mixed reviews as was the case with Tootsie but hopefully a longer life due to the fan base of this Robin Williams vehicle. At least I'm hoping for that. 

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 11/20/21 at 2:42pm

JasonC3 said: "Jordan Catalano said: "Intermission now. Casey Garvin is one of the most beautiful human beings on the planet.


He is indeed. His bf ain't bad either."

 

When he's onstage, your eyes just... stick on him..

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 11/21/21 at 8:54pm

Enjoyed this today much more than I expected to. It’s a solid screen to stage adaptation. The second act isn’t quite as good as the first and the character of Miranda is a blank—the song they’ve given her isn’t good enough to give her any shading—but otherwise a fun show. Rob McClure must burn 15,000 calories per performance. Lots of laughs and I liked it better that Something Rotten! This had the heart and emotional stakes that was missing. 
 

Jake Ryan Flynn looks like he’s pretty much doubled in height since the Sack Lunch Bunch, lol. 

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 11/22/21 at 12:59am

nycward said: "Saw the performance last night. Got a great pair of tix at TKTS (second row Mezz, center aisle...must of just released some premium priced tix last minute:)

I would title this show "the return of Tootsie." For me that's a mixed bag as I enjoyed both despite some obvious flaws in the construction of the musical. The reason so many film to stage projects fail is the incessant need to turn charming stories in the film medium into big splashy stage events. Mediocre scores staged at breakneck speed become a bit of a blur as one waits for things calm down so that the wit and charm of the story can unfold. Both are also anchored with a brilliant central character played to the hilt by a consummate professional. In this case Rob McClure doesn't disappoint as everyone has noted.

The second act works better because we are given time to relate to the drama and actual ballads are introduced to add some character development. I was moved by the ending but even there was a need to overindulge in every happy trope known to musical comedy neatly tied finales.

I think we'll see mixed reviews as was the case with Tootsie but hopefully a longer life due to the fan base of this Robin Williams vehicle. At least I'm hoping for that."

I totally agree, I kept thinking of Tootsie, but I liked Tootsie MUCH better.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 11/23/21 at 12:37am

I want to love this show. It’s got a lot of elements working for it, but somehow they’re just not clicking together. When the press rehearsal footage was released, I thought that “I want to be there” was supposed to be Daniel’s 11 o’clock number, pleading to the court once the ruse was revealed. Having it be the first song after the opening number is just… odd. The entire bit with Miranda’s fashion show could also be cut without losing anything. Also it’s a tremendous waste to have Brad Oscar, Peter Bartlett, and J. Harrison Ghee playing roles small enough that they could easily be featured ensemble tracks. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/24/21 at 7:50pm

Show hasn’t started yet but two things:

1) I forgot about how much legroom I have at this theatre! I’m Rear Orchestra on the right aisle (U-2) and I haven’t been this comfortable in a MINUTE!

2) A bunch of cameras are throughout the audience tonight. Maybe they are filming B-Roll footage?

[MattieIce2018]

Posted: 11/24/21 at 11:28pm

quizking101 said: "Show hasn’t started yet but two things:

1) I forgot about how much legroom I have at this theatre! I’m Rear Orchestra on the right aisle (U-2) and I haven’t been this comfortable in a MINUTE!

2) A bunch of cameras are throughout the audience tonight. Maybe they are filming B-Roll footage?"

I think Mark Evans posted a few days ago that they were shooting B-roll this week, so most likely that.

 

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/25/21 at 2:07am

My thoughts on tonight’s show:

THE GOOD:

- Rob McClure, Rob McClure, Rob McClure!! There’s a reason he continues to star in musical comedy and that’s because he’s the one of the true blue remaining musical comedy stars left that have crossed over to TV or film. He is a workhorse, an imp, and an all-around delight. If they gave Santino Fontana a Tony for whatever “Tootsie” was, Rob deserves 2.

- The newer jokes definitely have a bit more bite to them than the movie. Some of them, I audibly reacted because, especially the insults, were some sick burns. My personal favorite joke though was “Oh, the kids have seen me dance. It looks like two hippos fighting under a duvet!”…I died.

- The female children are a big highlight. Annalise Scarpaci has one HELL of a voice and I found her Lydia to have quite a few more layers than her film counterpart. The few times she could’ve fallen into that “angsty teen” trope, she didn’t. Avery Sell was just adorable and innocent and my heart broke every time she blamed herself for her parents split.

- Though it took her a while to get there, Jenn Gambatese was believable as a mother completely unraveled and healed by the end.

THE BAD:

- One too many characters are drawn a bit one-dimensionally. The son, Stu, and Mr. Jolly just seemed to exist in the background instead of any purposeful driving in the plot.

- Conversely some of the characters are drawn WAY too broadly on the brink of caricature. Mrs. Sellner went from a very droll and dry comedic role to one full of unnecessary sass and the humor in her interactions was lost. (Though Charity Dawson can really belt her lovely lady lumps off.) Oscar seems wasted in his role and Ghee is somehow doing a cross of Billy Porter and Hollywood Montrose. Also, what was the deal with Janet Lundy? That character just made no sense in terms of personality.

- The whole show takes about 15-20 minutes to take off and, while the plot is engaging and we all know how it goes, the songs that should buoy the show are very pedestrian and generic - almost as if they were dashed off the day before previews and shoehorned in.

THE TRIVIAL:

- Jerry Zaks was in the audience across the aisle from me tonight and I was gawking a couple times because, c’mon, the man is LEGENDARY. (I was too afraid to say hi).

- HOW DARE YOU CAST CASEY GARVIN, PUT HIM IN A GYM SCENE, AND LEAVE HIM IN A TRACKSUIT THE WHOLE TIME. THROW AWAY THE THE WHOLE SHOW BASED ON THIS ALONE!!! (Sarcasm font)

Overall, it gets a B- from me. Definitely could be better in a few aspects, but I admittedly laughed quite a bit and found the show to be a lot like comfort food, which is apropos the day before thanksgiving 

[windowwaving]

Posted: 11/27/21 at 11:38am

Watched the matinee yesterday as a last minute TKTS decision (literally decided at the window). I have never seen the movie nor did I really have any interest in watching this show, but had an open afternoon and felt more in the mood for a comedy. 

I found this show to be a lot of fun and the comedy really landed. I don't think I've laughed this much at a book. However, I almost thought it was unnecessary for this to be a musical. I was starting to get annoyed when I could tell a song was starting because they didn't really add much to me. They were just unmemorable, had no cohesiveness, and felt like they were adding songs just so they could use their stars (like Mark and Charity). I didn't read this thread before and I also got "Spooky Doubtfire Hell Dreams" vibes during Charity's song. The only song I truly enjoyed was "He Lied to Me" and the one about what Mrs. Doubtfire should look like. 

I was amazed by the set, the colors and the lighting. It's funny how many Beetlejuice parallels it kind of has with the big house set, Lydia as a character, and Rob McClure. 

Speaking of: holy moly Rob McClure. How is this man not exhausted?? I was getting tired for him. He's on-stage pretty much the entire time, and if he's not he's doing a quick change. But not only that, he's 110% the entire time. From all the little impressions, being Doubtfire, and then switching over to the really heavy handed material, he does it with so much sincerity and an unbelievable ease. Any time he has emotional scenes with the kids, it just feels so real. 

Analise's voice is so powerful and so crystal clear and her acting is phenomenal. Her and Rob have such great chemistry, I really felt like they were feeding off of each other. For some reason though, I sometimes felt like I was watching Dear Evan Hansen and she was playing Zoe. Gambatese also reminded me of a blander version of Cynthia or even a Jackie Burns in If/Then (but it might just be the wig). I thought Gambatese was good, I think it's her character that is just unlikeable? I just could not find much sympathy for her. 

The stand outs were Oscar and Ghee. I remember thinking somewhere in the 2nd act "where did they go? they need a scene in here to mix things up." 

So again, super fun show. Beautiful set. A wonderfully hard working cast. Rob McClure just absolutely killing it. And from what I can tell after reading this thread now is that the show has gotten tighter and better, so I'm hoping that by the time they open it'll be solid - which might be a lot of work for about a week. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 12/3/21 at 8:25pm

From the new production photos released earlier today:

Rob McClure, Analise Scarpaci, Jake Ryan Flynn, and Avery Sell performing "Bam! You're Rockin' Now"



Rob McClure, Brad Oscar, and J. Harrison Ghee performing "Make Me a Woman"



Rob McClure and full cast performing "As Long As There Is Love"

[MattieIce2018]

Posted: 12/4/21 at 11:57am

Final preview is tonight in advance of opening night tomorrow! For anyone who's gone recently, how long is the show running now? Just curious if they've made any more cuts.