TOOTSIE Reviews

[ebenn77]

Rogerdellibovi said: "So many male reviewers saying how “feminist” and “woke” the show was....... I can’t help but think about how much better it would be if they had a woman on the creative team! (This can be said for so many of the shows this season and forever to be fair). I only saw it in Chicago but, it just rubbed me the wrong way. I’m glad that it got good reviews because I love the cast but the writing just gave me a headache."

I felt the exact same way when I saw it last week. I think Sara Holdren's review put it best:

"It’s all funny and fluffy enough, but underneath the comedy is an unacknowledged reality that’s downright dismal. The idea that mouthy, willful Michael would somehow be more listened to after putting on a dress feels demonstrably ludicrous."

The root of the problem for me was that it was an all-male creative team trying to say something about the female experience. I still genuinely think it's one of the funniest books on Broadway right now, and I am glad that the actors are getting raves. Just wish it had a bit more impact.

[wolfwriter]

It's interesting that everyone seems to think it's between Tootsie and Hadestown for Best Musical and nobody has even mentioned the possibility of Beetlejuice winning.

[DAME]

wolfwriter said: "It's interesting that everyone seems to think it's between Tootsie and Hadestown for Best Musical and nobodyhas even mentioned the possibility ofBeetlejuice winning."

Or The Prom pulling a upset.  

[Mike Barrett]

wolfwriter said: "It's interesting that everyone seems to think it's between Tootsie and Hadestown for Best Musical and nobodyhas even mentioned the possibility ofBeetlejuice winning."

Because it won't be lol. Beetlejuice seems fun tbh but against its competition I can't see it being worthy of "best musical".  The Prom however could pull off a major upset I think. Sticking with my prediction right now of Hadestown, we'll see what happens over the nest few weeks though. Cant believe we're already less than a week till Tony announcements. Tonys always make me feel like its spring/summer time which makes me happy :) 

[wolfwriter]

DAME said: "wolfwriter said: "It's interesting that everyone seems to think it's between Tootsie and Hadestown for Best Musical and nobodyhas even mentioned the possibility ofBeetlejuice winning."

Or The Prom pulling a upset."

Good point DAME. I think there's a lot of love for The Prom but I wonder if Tony voters will think it wouldn't be as lucrative on tour.

[JudyDenmark]

I saw both Hadestown and Tootsie this past weekend, and enjoyed the hell out of both, though they couldn't be more different. (Also saw Gary... what a strange trio, haha.)

My gut says that Tootsie will certainly take Lead Actor and Book, but that Hadestown will come out on top for Score, one of the Featured Acting awards (if not both), and Best Musical. Not that it means anything based on past Tonys, but I'd like to see Hadestown's innovation take the honor, if Best Musical is about rewarding the production as a whole. That show takes an artistic risk that totally paid off in a gorgeous way, whereas Tootsie is hilarious and entertaining, but not really out of the box. (I do think this is different than last year where no other show came close to Band's Visit in terms of overall acclaim. Its near sweep was a foregone conclusion.)

At the beginning of this season I thought it was all about the plays, and was brushing off what I thought was a pretty weak season for musicals, and here we are with some fantastic races! I think it'd be totally justified if The Prom is the one that ends up taking the top honor. 

FWIW, to respond to an earlier comment, I'd be surprised if Lilli Cooper was considered as Leading. To me it was clearly a supporting role. (And Sarah Stiles has the definite edge in that category for Tootsie - she stole every scene she was in.)

[CurtainPullDowner]

What "artistic risk" does HADESTOWN take?  I think it's a good solid safe Musical with a terrific score, but it takes very few "risks".

 

[Steven Szmutko]

It's a race blind retelling of Greek Mythology, set in an anti capitalist setting, set to the music of New Orleans funeral parades, where a main character commits suicide in the first act and then tells the audience not to dare judge her, and the characters all lose but the point is that sometimes you'll lose the hardest thing in your life but it's good to try.

What is safe about that?

As for Tootsie, the general consensus I'm seeing is that while it's certainly the funniest book, it's already dated, a bit confused to what it wants, and it's treatment of female issues through the male lens. I don't see many tony voting women going for it, and I think the assumption of Tootsie for Best Book can be put aside for a toss up against The Prom.

[Kad]

Steven Szmutko said: "As for Tootsie, the general consensus I'm seeing is that while it's certainly the funniest book, it's already dated, a bit confused to what it wants, and it's treatment of female issues through the male lens. I don't see many tony voting women going for it, and I think the assumption of Tootsie for Best Book can be put aside for a toss up against The Prom."

Uh, from what did you form that ...consensus? 

 

[bdn223]

Steven Szmutko said: "It's a race blind retelling of Greek Mythology, set in an anti capitalist setting, set to the music of New Orleans funeral parades, where a main character commits suicide in the first act and then tells the audience not to dare judge her, and the characters all lose but the point is that sometimes you'll lose the hardest thing in your life but it's good to try."

Wait she commits suicide? I literally thought she took a train, as the opening number goes out of its way to establish there is an actual train to Hell. It is clear she signs her life away with the contract, but I wouldn’t call it suicide, just your average deal with the devil. He makes sure she is never hungry and she gives up her soul. 

Being racially blind is not an aspect of the show I would give as a reason its innovative, race has nothing to do with the plot nor the audiences preconceived notions about the characters. This isn’t Hamilton where the white founding fathers are played by people of color. Also if anything I would say Tootsie gets the colorblind casting credit with Lilly Cooper playing Jessica Lange’s role. You could literally swap in Great Comet with your description of what makes Hadestown innovative, and substitute War and Peace for Greek Mythology, and EDM mixed with russian folk for New Orleans music. You could also do the same with what Rent did to La Boheme, except Rent and Great Comet go out of their way to make sure the audience understands whats going on. Overall though I’d say Hadestown is a millennials  Jesus Christ Super Star, which literally did every single one of the things you say is so innovative about Hadestown.

Both Tootsie and Hadestown are good musicals, but hey to call either of them innovative is a bit of a stretch. Tootsie is a well crafted adaptation of a film, and Hadestown is another “style of music”-opera in the same vein as American Idiot, Tommy, and Jesus Christ Super Star. 

[Rogerdellibovi]

I wouldn't call either of them incredibly innovative but there is something to be said of the themes differing from the dangers of capitalism vs women are human beings too! But it also isn't most innovative musical" it's "best musical". 

[Mister Matt]

"The idea that mouthy, willful Michael would somehow be more listened to after putting on a dress feels demonstrably ludicrous."

It's Dorothy, not Michael, that gets heard and not initially, which was a significant plot point.  In the musical, Dorothy is ignored by the director, but the female producer listens to her and is calling the shots.  Additionally, Dorothy enlists the help of the show's leading lady to accomplish their goals.  I do think it's interesting that the same critic also says:

"David Yazbek’s razzmatazzy score and witty, pattery lyrics are its crowning delight, exuberant and actually memorable..."

I think there's a lot of love for The Prom but I wonder if Tony voters will think it wouldn't be as lucrative on tour.

Because Once, Gentleman's Guide, Fun Home and The Band's Visit all said Ka-CHING! to Tony voters for tours?  Please.

As for Tootsie, the general consensus I'm seeing is that while it's certainly the funniest book, it's already dated, a bit confused to what it wants, and it's treatment of female issues through the male lens.

I'm not seeing that as a "general consensus" at all.

[DAME]

You’d be amazed how many shows that won Tony’s weren’t the highest rated reviewed show.  

[Robbie2]

[GeorgeandDot]

So I thought this was very enjoyable and very funny. The performances are really wonderful here from everyone, especially Santino and Sarah Stiles. The book is hysterical and witty, but the score is a miss. Sarah's patter song is brilliant and there are a couple of other wonderful moments in the music, but ultimately, the score is extremely weak. I don't think this show should provide any competition to Hadestown. It's a good show, but I don't think it's best musical material.

It doesn't help the show that the entire design is so hideous and the theatre swallows the show up. I mean, the set looks like it's from a community theatre production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. The whole show just feels too big and busy for what is really a fairly small, intimate show. The ensemble should be heavily reduced. They're required for the musical within a musical sequences, but they're numbers outside of that are cheesy and bring the show down.

All that being said, Santino is probably winning the Tony and rightfully so. The book is also hysterical and should probably win. Overall, it's a fun, enjoyable night and I'm happy that I saw it. Unfortunately it also feels like a bit of a missed opportunity.

[djoko84]

Tootsie is not winning Best Musical. Get over it. It will be Hadestown.

[Luscious]

djoko84 said: "Tootsie is not winning Best Musical. Get over it. It will be Hadestown."

Who cares which show wins Best Musical? It's apple and oranges. And Tootsie will be running for years after Hadestown closes.

 

[After Eight]

Steven Szmutko wrote about Hadestown:

"It's a race blind retelling of Greek Mythology, set in an anti capitalist setting, set to the music of New Orleans funeral parades, where a main character commits suicide in the first act and then tells the audience not to dare judge her, and the characters all lose but the point is that sometimes you'll lose the hardest thing in your life but it's good to try. 

What is safe about that? "

 

Everything. 

In our present-day "cultural" climate? Everything.

In fact, it is so perfect a formula to appeal to the designated elites who confer rave reviews and awards upon their cherished darlings as to be formulaic. We've just seen the former doled out en masse; the latter will follow at the designated time.

You see, "daring" has become so trite, so commonplace, so tiresomely par for the course nowadays, that the only truly daring thing theatre artists could do would be not to be "daring."

But that, alas, is the one thing they would never dare.
 

[Mister Matt]

Tootsie is not winning Best Musical. Get over it.

Who said it was?  Methinks the lady doth protest too much.  Perhaps the reason you have to be nasty about it is that you're actually afraid Tootsie might snatch the bow off your head.  Is that why you're being such a Heather?  Or are you just a rotten person for the fun of it?

[PatrickDC]

Watched the curtain call video here on BWW. Michael’s quick change to Dorothy during the call is new since Chicago. Would love to the frantic but methodical scene under the stage for that! 

And they added something I tend to dislike but now seems de rigueur so I guess I need to just deal with it: a final song and dance after the cast acknowledges the pit and takes a final bow. TOOTSIE’s of course is needed for the quick change, but most are unnecessary. End with the bows and exit music. 

[Cora Hoover Hooper]

How is John Behlmann in this show? He looks so adorable.

[CT2NYC]

Tootsie disappointed me. There, I said it. As the audience roared with laughter, I just sat there, mildly amused. Julie Halston got a few laughs out of me, as did John Behlmann, but, on the whole, I thought the comedy was pretty lame, with a lot of stale sitcom humor. Santino is fine, but I didn't find the performance revelatory. Maybe I know the movie too well, but I think the show is far inferior, on every level. It's OK, but nothing worthy of all the praise being heaped upon it.

[GeorgeandDot]

I agree with this. It's entertaining, but I couldn't help, but feel disappointed and puzzled that this is the show that everyone has been praising so enthusiastically.

[dramamama611]

CT2NYC:  That's the way I felt about many shows this season: The Prom, Head Over Heels, Beetlejuice....sigh.

[bdn223]

Cora Hoover Hooper said: "How is John Behlmann in this show? He looks so adorable."

I mentioned this in the previews thread and he great and somehow manages to have the showiest/scenery chewiest part in the whole show. Many including myself think Andy Grotelueschen gives the best performance of the supporting actors, but think Behlmann will get more awards attention due to the loud nature of his performance. He will likely get a Tony nomination with strong chance of winning if Patrick Page nor Andy Grotelueschen are nominated.