Mrs. Doubtfire - Seattle Pre-Broadway Thoughts

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 11/26/19 at 1:06pm

Tonight is the world premiere in Seattle. Anyone plan on attending tonight or another upcoming performance?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/26/19 at 6:02pm

I’m curious to read some thoughts if anyone here will in fact be there tonight. A song list would be fun too but I know sometimes these tryouts don’t get a song list printed in the program because the song stack can often change nightly.

[inception]

Posted: 11/26/19 at 6:50pm

I have tickets for next Saturday, December 7. As long as it doesn't snow I should make it down to Seattle. I know it is crazy, but even half an inch of snow makes roads treacherous in this area.

[LittleCheno]

Posted: 11/27/19 at 3:14am

I was there tonight for the first preview. I believe the show ran just about 2:45 with intermission and folks really seemed to enjoy it. There was a lot of laughter throughout both act 1 and 2 and I will say, I found it charming, and being only its first night, I was impressed. Is it the best thing I've ever seen? Not really, but it was a fun night out and sort of gave me the vibe that I got when I saw Tootsie. It strays from the movie just a bit, but for the most part stays fairly consistent to the original story line. The song list was not printed, but there were a lot of songs and a lot of dancing---and a good number of them could probably be cut down or out entirely. I liked most of the portrayals---thought Rob McClure was pretty good in the role---though I have to admit, I didn't find his Daniel to be very likable, but really enjoyed him as Mrs. D. Loved Brad Oscar who played Frank and J. Harrison Ghee who played his husband Andre Mayem.

Interested to hear what others think as this show goes though edits!

[BobbysApartment]

Posted: 11/27/19 at 3:54am

As mentioned, no scene or song list in the program. This is my best guess at song titles:
Act 1
Opening/Pizza Rolls (new lyrics to Largo Al Factotum from The Barber of Seville) - Daniel, ensemble
That's Daniel (including "cool" dad rap) - All (fairly lengthy, what I would consider the real opening number)
I'm Done - Miranda
I Want to Be There - Daniel
Nanny Interview Montage - Daniel, Ensemble
Make Me a Woman - Daniel, Frank, Andre, Ensemble (Donna Summer disco, includes a LOT of celebrity impersonations)
What the Hell - Kids
Mr. Jolly Show - Ensemble
Cooking Montage/Easy Peasy - Daniel, Ensemble (clogging and more impersonations)
I Want to Be There reprise - Daniel (short)
Mr. Jolly Reprise - Ensemble (short)
Telling Time Rap - Daniel "loops" all of the parts
Bam! You're Rocking Now - Daniel, Ensemble, Kids

Act 2
The Shape of Things to Come - Miranda and women's ensemble (very much Whipped Into Shape from Legally Blonde down to jump ropes)
She Deserves a Real Man - Stuart and men's ensemble (very Burt Bacharach)
Let Go - Miranda
New Leaf - Daniel
You've Created a monster - Wanda and Ensemble (nightmare)
He Lied to Me/Restaurant Sequence - Flamenco singer, all
Pretend - Daniel, Lydia (if I remember correctly, this is the song that really made me think of Hard Candy Christmas musically)
As Long as There Is Love - Miranda, Wanda
As Long as There Is Love - Finale and bows

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/27/19 at 2:15pm

Thank you for the song list, Bobby. Looks interesting!

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 11/27/19 at 2:16pm

What was the scenic design like?

[BobbysApartment]

Posted: 11/27/19 at 4:09pm

Standard red velvet show curtain.

The main family house set was a unit that rolled in from upstage to include foyer, stairs, living room and kitchen. Proscenium arch flew in to frame it. Made me think of a three camera sitcom set.

Most of the other sets were a combination of a back piece flying in and wagons that came in from the wings. Daniel's apartment (the other main location) had an accordion door that went to the bedroom/bathroom area with the front wall cut out so the audience could see the shenanigans going on back there. Similar fly in/wagon combo for Mr. Jolly and the gym at the beginning of Act 2.

They used some fly ins of the San Francisco skyline (up to date, of course the Golden Gate Bridge but also Salesforce Tower) and the iconic row houses for outdoor or general location scenes.

The restaurant scene had the two separate parties on opposite sides of the stage with a screen upstage that could be lit from behind to show the mad dash costume changes - but it really looked like it was a rear projection of those moments.

There was also a center stage lift they used for some singular set pieces like the court scenes, but also for a couple entrances and exits.

Nothing groundbreaking, but it was detailed, looked high quality and allowed for seamless transitions. No projections (as sets). I honestly couldn't believe how smoothly it all ran for a first preview.

Updated On: 11/27/19 at 04:09 PM

[Tag]

Posted: 11/27/19 at 4:22pm

A few questions:
Does Mrs. Doubtfire look like the film version of the character?
Is there a full face mask for Mrs. Doubtfire?
Is McClure using a similar Robin Williams-ish accent for Mrs. Doubtfire?
Is there the famous cake face "Hello" moment?
Are doubles used for Daniel or Mrs. Doubfire?
Any major film storylines cut?

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 11/27/19 at 4:36pm

The Tootsie production team right now:

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 11/27/19 at 4:45pm

It seems like the show invited representatives from GLAAD to inform the writers on any jokes that may seem inoffensive... Interesting to the least.

https://twitter.com/abegoldfarb/status/1199712513639751680?s=21

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 11/27/19 at 5:02pm

Tag said: "A few questions:...
Is McClure using a similar Robin Williams-ish accent for Mrs. Doubtfire?"

I think the teaser give a slight idea of McClure's accent, and while that could have changed between the teaser and now, they seem to be very similar. 

 

[BobbysApartment]

Posted: 11/27/19 at 5:24pm

Tag said: "A few questions:
Does Mrs. Doubtfire look like the film version of the character?

I was pretty far up in the balcony, but I would say yes


Is there a full face mask for Mrs. Doubtfire?

No - wig, glasses, padded bodysuit, teeth (maybe?). They do a lot of onstage changes (lots of Rob McClure in his boxer briefs), so just not possible

Is McClure using a similar Robin Williams-ish accent for Mrs. Doubtfire?

100%, but he also does a lot of other accents and impersonations throughout the show


Is there the famous cake face "Hello" moment?

Yes, most of the main gags and jokes are there (although it has been some time since I watched the whole movie). You get the smoking (not on fire) shirt, the drive by fruiting, etc. Hellooooo seems to be the tag for the show - they had it on merch like coffee cups, although not on the oven mitts

Are doubles used for Daniel or Mrs. Doubfire?

There seem to have been at times, but there's also a moment where you have an entire stage of Mrs. Doubtfires including the kids


Any major film storylines cut?

Didn't seem to be. The only big changes I can think of now (and anyone can feel free to correct me if you know the movie better) were that Miranda is trying to start a line of workout wear for all body types, and Stuart is a potential investor as well as boyfriend. He runs a gym, and this location takes the place of the poolside scene from the movie.

Also, the social worker has a lot more prominence although her character is never really developed. She oddly has a big part leading into the end of the show - which - yikes - the ending needs a lot of work. It honestly felt like they didn't have time to stage it, and what works on film doesn't always translate to the stage.

 

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 11/27/19 at 11:12pm

Love this thread! We fly up to Seattle and see it on the 15th. I keep thinking deja vu after flying to Chicago to see Tootsie last fall. I’m hoping this isn’t Tootsie 2, but the main themes and storylines are different enough. I didn’t care for Tootsie.  

Re Miranda’s profession, if I recall she was an interior designer in the film and Stuart was a wealthy client, and wasn’t there some hint that they had a relationship before she married Daniel? The new gym and workout clothing angle lends itself better for action in a stage musical. 

Fun to hear the Salesforce Tower is in the skyline. Can’t believe how it seems you turn around from anywhere in the Bay Area and you can see it. LOL Was up on the 61st Floor a couple weeks ago for the first time for a charity event and the view is beyond spectacular. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/28/19 at 1:19am

Funny the design sounds strictly similar to Tootsie. Main set rolls on from upstage. Center lift. 

[IAMREADING]

Posted: 11/28/19 at 4:39am

Call_me_jorge said: "It seems like the show invited representatives from GLAAD to inform the writers on any jokes that may seem inoffensive... Interesting to the least.

https://twitter.com/abegoldfarb/status/1199712513639751680?s=21"

someone who works in wardrobe at tootsie (according to their bio) said Tootsie did too

"You know what’s funny? Tootsie did the same thing. They had reps here from GLAAD as well as the Trans community. The cast met with then before and after they saw the show. The reps loved the show and suggested a few changes to which the writers did."

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/28/19 at 11:53am

You mentioned Salesforce Tower and somehow it hadn't occurred to me that they would reset the show in the present day — when you'd think it would be harder to pull off this kind of deception!

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 11/28/19 at 12:47pm

Sounds like another phoned-in set design by David Korins.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 12/2/19 at 4:14pm

The sets have to be "naturalistic" so I'm sure David Korins' set is exactly what the show needs.

With Tootsie in the "backview mirror", the producers probably know that there are two main challenges to getting this show to be a hit. First, the original movie had a very medicore script which was transcended by Robin Williams' performance. Robin Williams was a comic genius and has huge shoes to fill.

Secondly, can the score survive on its own? Stripping out orchestrations and dance sequences, are there any songs that will catch on? Hairspray, for example, is a show that can work without a superstar performance because it has a great score. Tootsie had a score which was good enough but not great.

 

 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/2/19 at 7:43pm

FANtomFollies said: "Sounds like another phoned-in set design by David Korins."

I have never found any of David Korins set designs to be "phoned-in"... David Rockwell, on the other hand, is hit or miss, but his design for Pretty Woman and Tootsie last season were pretty darn bad. Hard to believe that he's the same designer behind the GORGEOUS set for the She Loves Me revival...

[bwaybrent]

Posted: 12/4/19 at 12:36am

A few press photos I found, giving us a glance at the family and the set.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5laF2Qnu8c/?igshid=1o7waax96gpqg

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5o0yLOHgGG/?igshid=198l1t0pmxzpw

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 12/4/19 at 2:15am

bwayphreak234 said: "FANtomFollies said: "Sounds like another phoned-in set design by David Korins."

I have never found any of David Korins set designs to be "phoned-in"... David Rockwell, on the other hand, is hit or miss, but his design for Pretty Woman and Tootsie last season were pretty darn bad. Hard to believe that he's the same designer behind the GORGEOUS set for the She Loves Me revival..."

Couldn't agree more. I thoroughly dislike a lot of his set design, especially for Tootsie. I didn't think Pretty Women was nearly as bad, but it wasn't great by any means. Falsettos was serviceable and I think it worked for the show, but it certainly wasn't groundbreaking, as was Catch Me If You Can. It seems like most of his work is just, simply put, serviceable and very very ordinary. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the Kinky Boots design and She Loves Me is one of the most incredible things I've ever seen in my life. It's strange I suppose. Certainly respect the amount of success he has found within the industry, however.

That being said, I really enjoy pretty much all of Korins' work, with a slight exception for Bring it On: The Musical. I know it was over a decade ago, but it just didn't do much for me. Hands down, one of my favorite scenic artists out there.

Updated On: 12/4/19 at 02:15 AM

[Hamilfan2]

Posted: 12/4/19 at 10:55am

DiscoCrows said: "bwayphreak234 said: "FANtomFollies said: "Sounds like another phoned-in set design by David Korins."

I have never found any of David Korins set designs to be "phoned-in"... David Rockwell, on the other hand, is hit or miss, but his design for Pretty Woman and Tootsie last season were pretty darn bad. Hard to believe that he's the same designer behind the GORGEOUS set for the She Loves Me revival..."

Couldn't agree more. I thoroughly dislikea lot of his set design, especially forTootsie.I didn't thinkPretty Womenwas nearly as bad, but it wasn't great by any means. Falsettos was serviceable and I think it worked for the show, but it certainly wasn't groundbreaking, as was Catch Me If You Can. It seems like most of his work is just, simply put, serviceable and very very ordinary. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed theKinky Bootsdesign andShe Loves Meis one of the most incredible things I've ever seen in my life. It's strange I suppose. Certainly respect the amount of success he has found within the industry, however.

That being said, I reallyenjoy pretty much all of Korins' work, with a slight exception forBring it On: The Musical. I know it was over a decade ago, but it just didn't do much for me. Hands down, one of my favorite scenic artists out there."

Very well said, agreed!  I have some Korins’ designs I don’t love as much (Bandstand, Motown and War Paint come to mind), but none of them felt bad or phoned in.  Even his worst sets are still serviceable and work well for their given show.  That is not something I can say about most of the other scenic artists out there.  The only other person who comes to mind when I think of truly great and innovative scenic artists is Mimi Lien, who even though she’s won a Tony I would still classify as up and coming.  And while we’re shouting out favorite scenic artists, I also enjoy the work of Michael Yeargen who has done most of Bart Sher’s shows and consistently delivers beautiful and striking sets.

[brian1973]

Posted: 12/5/19 at 4:32pm

David Korins is so up his own a** it’s embarrassing! 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/5/19 at 5:16pm

Actually, the "Bandstand" set Korins designed was conceptually brilliant, since the kitchen sink realism replica of a mid-40s Cleveland club could turn instantly into battlefield that triggered PTSD, with only lighting changes. And the second act -- whether we agree or not -- slowly replaced the realism to become a stylilzed Hollywood musical set as the characters advance and become successful. Korins served the conceit brilliantly.