Santino Fontana will play the lead in Tootsie the Musical

[Morales2]

Tootsie is one of my favorite movies.  I'm very excited about this becoming a musical.   I think Santino is perfect casting for Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels.  

Thoughts?

[TotallyEffed]

The movie is a perfect comedy.

And the Tony Award for most costume changes goes to...

[Valentina3]

Edit - hadn't seen the article before (in my defense, OP didn't link it out)

[Call_me_jorge]

Valentina3 said: "Please retitle this thread so it's not so misleading.

And there was a topic a few weeks ago discussing this same thing. Some people agreed with you, several others would prefer other performers."

How is it misleading? He is doing it https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Broadway-Bound-TOOTSIE-Starring-Santino-Fontana-Will-Play-Pre-Run-in-Chicago-20180124

[Jordan Catalano]

This musical is REALLY good. I saw a reading of it with Fontana, Stephanie J Block, Marc Kudisch and others last year and was so impressed, since I wasn’t sold in an updated version of the story. But man, I loved it.

[GeorgeandDot]

Jordan Catalano said: "This musical is REALLY good. I saw a reading of it with Fontana, Stephanie J Block, Marc Kudisch and others last year and was so impressed, since I wasn’t sold in an updated version of the story. But man, I loved it. "

Good to hear.  That's quite a cast too and I'm happy that Yazbeck is doing the score.

 

[BeingAlive 2]

That’s so exciting Jordan!! Was Stephanie in the Terri Garr role?

[Jordan Catalano]

I told my friend that if Block stays with the show, there’s no way she doesn’t get a Tony. She was so hilarious and her songs showcased everything that’s wonderful about her.

[Call_me_jorge]

If SJB isn’t tied up with Cher I hope she’s doing this!

[Jordan Catalano]

Beingalive2 - Yep.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Santino is PERFECT casting. And this is one of a tiny handful of movies I've been dying for a musical adaptation for years. Can't wait!

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

But it's already just such a perfect movie as is...

I guess I will never understand the thought behind taking an already great classic quotable film and musicalizing it. The best musical adaptations of films have been from movies where the score was the missing element the movie needed to heighten it to another place. Tootsie is already perfect. It just doesn't strike me as a story that sings or needs to sing. 

[RippedMan]

You had me at Yazback. And he’s back in the Musical comedy world. It’s gonna be awesome!

[AllThatJazz2]

Awesome. Definitely going to need to catch this!

[BroadwayNYC2]

Was thinking about Fontana today. What exciting news! 

[blaxx]

Isn't this the story of a white MAN who needs to dress up as a WOMAN to get a job?

How sensitive and contemporary!  Makes perfect sense to stage it right now as a musical, not offensive at all.

[TotallyEffed]

blaxx said: "Isn't this the story of a white MAN who needs to dress up as a WOMAN to get a job?

How sensitive and contemporary! Makes perfect sense to stage it right now as a musical, not offensive at all."

Try not to be too insufferable, darling.

[SweetLips]

For me, the uniqueness about Dorothy Michaels was her VOICE, that accent. As JC has heard a reading, I wonder if Mr Fontana tries to copy or create his own accent.

[LYLS3637]

blaxx said: "Isn't this the story of a white MAN who needs to dress up as a WOMAN to get a job?

How sensitive and contemporary! Makes perfect sense to stage it right now as a musical, not offensive at all."

Sounds like YOU need to go watch the movie again... 

[newintown]

I would prefer a Shaiman/Wittman score, or perhaps Frankel/Korie. I fear Yazbek's songs will meander, both musically and lyrically, and be little more than mildly amusing when they should be very funny, or maudlin when they should be moving (as I generally find his work).

[GavestonPS]

How old is Mr. Fontana?

What ignites the action in the
film is the fact that Dustin
Hoffman plays a failed actor
who is at an age where he
needs to succeed or quit
the business.

BTW, I share blaxx's feeling
that the idea that an actor
needs to pretend to be
female because--What?--
there aren't enough roles
for white men is absurd,
if not offensive.

But the musical could borrow
from M. Butterfly the idea 
that men are better equipped
to play women because
"femininity" is a male
construct. That might be
interesting, especially in
the soap opera world.

[blaxx]

LYLS3637 said: "blaxx said: "Isn't this the story of a white MAN who needs to dress up as a WOMAN to get a job?

How sensitive and contemporary! Makes perfect sense to stage it right now as a musical, not offensive at all."

Sounds like YOU need to go watch the movie again..."

It burns that I'm right?

Straight white male must pass as a woman to make it in the industry, sounds lovely. They should also musicalize Richard Pryor's The Toy while they're at it. 

[MtTemple4]

I’ve seen Tootsie countless times. The reason Michael Dorsey becomes Dorothy Michaels and auditions for the soap (ahem, daytime drama—I owe the producer a quarter) is because he is difficult to work with. He argues with directors, walks off the stage, quits a commercial playing a beefsteak tomato, and Sydney Pollack as his agent exclaims “No one will hire you!”  Having previously accompanied Sandy (Teri Garr) to the soap audition, he is prompted to audition as Dorothy, who has no such difficult reputation . . . yet. 





 

 

[LYLS3637]

blaxx said: "LYLS3637 said: "blaxx said: "Isn't this the story of a white MAN who needs to dress up as a WOMAN to get a job?

How sensitive and contemporary! Makes perfect sense to stage it right now as a musical, not offensive at all."

Sounds like YOU need to go watch the movie again..."

It burns that I'm right?

Straight white male must pass as a woman to make it in the industry, sounds lovely. They should also musicalize Richard Pryor's The Toy while they're at it."

As usual, you miss the point entirely. That's not what the movie is about, but gotta give you credit for trying to force an agenda onto the film that it does not have.

[newintown]

I'm dubious about this project's book writer, who was responsible for the unbearably tortuous 13, a few gags for one Dame Edna show, and the scripts for a handful of lower-tier sitcoms. Perhaps he possesses unexplored depths of talent, but ...