My thoughts on this Yazbek/Horn joint: A hit is had. I see most everything that opens due to my spouse dragging me to shows. So here goes...
Show started about ten after eight, and I left the spot at 10:58 after being given a headshot and resume on exit by an usher (fun bit). The "resume" is winning - my favorite job was "Woman in Sand". Ok, to the show, and key changes from Chicago where I was or work last fall and saw the show several times.
1A) Overture is new. Beautiful and rolling. Highlights Yazbek's style story. Very strong.
1B) Opening edited quite a lot. Works better, and improves upon the "show within the show". Sets the stakes here better. Michael is desperate and will do anything for a job.
2A) Confrontation between Michael & agent "Stan" (a thrilling & heartfelt Michael McGrath) now takes place in Stan's office. Set is flimsy here, and shakes when exits. Distracting. A great comedy scene by Horn brought to life by these two. McGrath shines in this memorable spot.
2B) Sarah Stiles playing "Sandy" has I KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN as her show-stopper (reprised twice in bits) that really blossomed with a NY audience. She will win the TONY for best-supporting I predict.
2C) Santino Fontana''s entrance as "Dorothy" for the audition is a master class in comedy, song craft and power of mixing them with exceptional actors - Fontana, Julie Halston, John Behlmann (where has this guy been?) and Reg Rogers . Cooper also in the scene, who plays the straight counterpart to the comedy throughout. "Rome-O!" This is where we meet Halson's producer "Rita" who is twisted and botox-ed and every moment a delight. Halston gets a TONY nomination.
3A) "John" (Julie's first song) is now a minimally two-header duet, focussing less on Julie's former partner, and more on Julie's dream of the theater and how being an actor required her to give push all else aside for this very dream. Really connects the two "women" and establishes both have much at stake. The costs to their decisions to commit to this life are real and painful to understand as they sing, in ways. Lili Cooper has truly blossomed in NY, and I find her Julie now powerful and a glue to the show. She is our truth teller. She shows us how in real ways, we play the games to live life and go after our dreams. Brava!
3B) ACT I finale has been tightened, and the number called UNSTOPPABLE is still not the best. Dorothy & ensemble work their tails off to show Dorothy's dream as it expands and becomes more unruly to control.
4A) Behlman as a young "Max Van Horn" is incredibly winning, memorable and relevant. A fun, reimagined foil to Dorothy's womanly wiles. His timing is terrific, and only thrills throughout the night. Predicting Behlman is TONY nominated for this turn. I saw him doing a trapeze based JAWS parade on the Bowery years ago, and that comedy gold he takes with him wherever he goes. Bravo!
4B) "Jeff" (the Bill Murray character in the film) here is played brilliantly by Andy Grotelueschen. His "YOU F*CKED IT UP" in ACT II opener is a high point for me. I predict TONY nom for him, and a win.
4C) Ensemble shines in THE GREATEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE (?) which takes us from waking up on OPENING NIGHT from Max Van Horn's bed (Behlman's Max is a child-man from the crack of dawn we see the cast of JULIET'S CURSE/NURSE getting ready for their Broadway opening night. I liked this number more tonight than ever, and think it will be the "TV" number they put on TONY et al as some sort of Yazbek woven medley.
4D) Dorothy's big ACT II reveal is quite different here at the Marquis. Still too long to tease out the moment but tighter and better.
5) Curtain now has a TOOTSIE drop-down for curtain call, along with a special tap dancing number I wish I could have seen better. Was Dorothy really tapping? I think so. Like to see this more clearly.
Show is an "A" book-wise now, in the vein of Neil Simon & Mel Brooks. Robert Horn will be nominated and win the TONY for BEST BOOK I predict. The show will have MANY noms including the above and adding David Rockwell (SCENIC DESIGN) and William Ivey Long (COSTUMES), and Scott Ellis (DIRECTOR). One note on the stage, and what Rockwell has done to/for it -- and please chime in those who know the Marquis stage better than I -- what has he done to it to make it feel less like a barn? I was seated in ROW T center, and found the room/stage/experience much more personal and poised. Was part of the stage reduced somehow or TOOTSIE? I am trying to remember what it was organically. The first time I saw something here as I remember was DAMN YANKEES w/ Jerry Lewis, and it has been barn-ish forever for me.
David Yazbek, will be nominated I predict. Following up the more intimate BAND'S VISIT with this muscular, vulgar at spots and shining TOOTSIE score shows how Yazbek is one of Broadway's most versatile composer lyricists. The real revelation for me is how Robert Horn's book translates a piece from 30 years ago into a whole new world adding humor and grace and humanity. Horn is nominated and wins his first TONY I imagine.
Possible noms inclus Denis Jones, whose choreography is winning if not a centerpiece of this TOOTSIE. Lighting design by Donald Holder is solid.
I have seen PROM and liked it. Once was enough. Not a hit-feeling broad based musical comedy. Some of the brutal negatives felt like drunken posts by the above, but whatever. We all have fingers. Have not yet seen, though will see HADESTOWN in two weeks, so that will add perspective I know. Too this broad TOOTSIE: an American comedy musical hit is born! Here's a to a good long happy run for this ensemble - who if there were such a thing would win the BEST ENSEMBLE award. The amount of actor talent on this stage is unparalleled in a musical at this time. In my count, I think TOOTSIE gets 11 or more TONY nominations.
The best parts of the experience for me are that they didn't **** up a classic, but enhanced it for a new genre, and just how extraordinary the cast is as a group of creative organic and brilliant singles coming together for something truly special. As a cast/book piece, it reminded me of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN the movie and WHAT'S UP DOC in the manner in which the cast expanded a genius script.
A lover of theater for decades. Teacher by day. Family man by night. See more theater than most, oftentimes a hesitant plus one.
Updated On: 3/30/19 at 10:41 AM
