Em Skow

LaFreniere’s Dorothy immediately endears you to her and makes you feel as though you too are easing on down the road. Barely ever off the stage, and with each song more vocally demanding than the next, LaFreniere delivers an impressively formidable performance with fluid, traipsing vocal runs and a brightness that brings warmth no matter the scene’s focus. While there are many standout moments for LaFreniere, her interpretations of “Wonder, Wonder Why” had to be my favorite for her agility and sensitivity, and “Home,” of course, for her declarative agency.

Setting the evening’s events in motion was the headstrong but drifting Sophie Sheridan, played by Alisa Melendez. With a silky and powerful voice, her presence and vocals were the perfect combination of strength and sensitivity for the young woman searching for answers outside of herself. From “I Have a Dream” and “Honey, Honey” with best friends Ali (Haley Wright) and Lisa (L’Oréal Roaché) to her standout (and trippy) interpretation of “Under Attack,” Melendez’s lyrically fluid alto tone was stunning throughout. “Lay All Your Love on Me” with fiance Sky, played by Grant Reynolds, was also particularly charming, showcasing the intensity of young love and a playfulness of youth that was central to the production.

Leading the national tour as he did the original Broadway cast was Rob McClure as Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire. A tour de force performance that has already garnered him Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle nominations remains just as joyful, heartfelt, and captivatingly frenetic as ever. I know I was not the only one watching McClure’s performance knowing that Robin Williams would be proud. Whether piling on the silly in “It’s About Time,” as a jealous Mrs. Doubtfire in “Big Fat No,” or pulling on heartstrings in “I Want to Be There” and the tender duet “Just Pretend” with eldest daughter Lydia (played by the wonderful silky-voiced Giselle Gutierrez), McClure’s comedic timing, vocal impressions, and physical acrobatics were all spectacular from start to finish.