![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/U_-BTqlQ-e1572962509657.jpeg\")
<\/a>Photo by Matthew Murphy, as is the one at the top of this page.<\/p><\/div>\n
When I was planning my Fall trip to the Big Apple, Tootsie<\/em> was the number one show on my list. But that was not because I\u2019m a fan of the movie Tootsie<\/em> (although I am<\/em>,) but rather because I\u2019m a fan of the TV show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend<\/em>, which Santino Fontana, who plays Tootsie, was on for the first season. He was good on TV, but let me tell you, I was overwhelmed by what he accomplishes in this Broadway musical. His performance is wonderful on every level, but especially impressive is that he sings equally beautifully as a man and woman. No wonder he won the Tony this year! The producers struck gold with him.<\/p>\n Santino Fontana (in the dress) and company. Photo by Matthew Murphy.<\/p><\/div>\n I can\u2019t imagine that anyone doesn\u2019t know this, but Tootsie<\/em> is basically the same story as the still-popular 1982 film starring Dustin Hoffman as Michael Dorsey, an out-of-work actor who disguises himself as a female, Dorothy, to get the role. The main plot change here is that instead of starring on a soap opera, as the character does in the movie, he stars in a fictional Broadway musical, Juliet\u2019s Nurse<\/em>, which is an absolute and unintentional riot.<\/p>\n And, luckily for us, (especially if your seats allow you an up-close view of his abs,) they changed Dorothy\u2019s male pursuer(s) from a duo of older men to a cute young dumb actor, played to perfection by John Behlmann. He\u2019s absolutely adorbs!!!<\/p>\n John Behlmann. Sorry, people–you’ll just have to see his abs in person! Photo by Matthew Murphy.<\/p><\/div>\n The other stand-out for me is Julie Halston as the tough older broad producer of Juliet\u2019s Nurse<\/em>. She wrings every single laugh possible out of her role. (And she was equally amusing in her post-curtain plea-for-charitable-donations speech. A cast member has to do that after every performance of Broadway shows, and she made this one a surprising delight.)<\/p>\n Actually, the entire cast is excellent. And, as my friend Sheila pointed-out, they all appear to be so happy to be doing this show!!! She said that it seemed like knowing they\u2019re in a hit gives them a little extra pep in their step.<\/p>\n Santino Fontana and Julie Halston highlighted on the very right. Photo by Matthew Murphy.<\/p><\/div>\n As to the songs by David Yazbek, there are sooo many clever lyrics. And happily, all are understandable. The second act Jeff Sums It Up<\/em>, energetically performed by Andy Grotelueschen as Jeff, Michael\u2019s best friend, is downright brilliant. I was literally guffawing during it.<\/p>\n But the ingenuity doesn\u2019t stop with the music. So many of the lines in the book of the show, written by Robert Horn, are memorable. You\u2019ll just have to experience them for yourselves, but here\u2019s a taste, (as close to word-for-word as I can remember them): Jeff tells Michael, \u201cDo what you can, and tell people that was the goal,\u201d an idea I\u2019m<\/em> planning to employ in real<\/em> life! Another one of Jeff\u2019s bon mots is when Michael asks him if he looks heavy as Dorothy, a sort-of stout \u201cwoman,\u201d Jeff assesses him instead as \u201cdifficult to abduct.\u201d I had just been to my high school reunion in New York, so I really appreciated this line, (which was not about me<\/em>, of course, but some others): \u201cIn school I was voted\u2014\u2018Who is that?!\u2019\u201d And the one that perhaps should be the tagline for Tootsie<\/em>, \u201cBeing a woman is not a job for a man.\u201d You know it! (And you also know that I\u2019m obsessed with how quickly Santino\u2019s character got long red nails and how quickly they were gone!)<\/p>\n Speaking of jobs for the genders, I love that the music director, Andrea Grody, is female. I can\u2019t believe that in this day and age that\u2019s still somewhat surprising.<\/p>\n Santino Fontana and Andy Grotelueschen. Photo by Matthew Murphy.<\/p><\/div>\n As much as I adored Tootsie<\/em>, I do<\/em> have to admit that the show is just a tad\u00a0long. But since I loved just about every second of it, I had to think long and hard about what could possibly be cut from it. The only one number I could do without is There Was John<\/em>, a totally unnecessary song from the love interest, played by Lilli Cooper, in Act I. It doesn\u2019t further the story nor really fit in with the rest of the show.<\/p>\n But every other minute of Tootsie<\/em> is fabulous. What a happy, not-painful-in-any-way show it is. I wish that every Broadway musical would be like this one.<\/p>\n Tootsie<\/em> running\u00a0through January 5, 2020<\/strong> TOOTSIE Tootsie is just about the perfect Broadway musical! I\u2019m so lucky to have been in New York at this time to be able to see the show just six months into its run, (which I really hope will be a long one.) When I was planning my Fall trip to the Big Apple, Tootsie<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>
\n Marquis Theatre<\/strong>
\n 210 W. 46th Street, New York City<\/strong>
\n www.tootsiemusical.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"