Remember the film Tootsie? The 1982 film tells the story of Micheal, a man who nobody wants to work with because of his reputation. In desperation, Micheal adopts a new identity “Dorothy”, a woman who ends up landing him a dream role. The Broadway production that premiered at the Marquis Theater in New York City in 2019 is now playing in Orange County. The musical tells the same story but instead focuses all the action on a Broadway show instead of a soap opera.

Tootsie: The Comedy Musical is very promising at the beginning with an opening number that’s sharp and catches your attention. Sadly, after a few scenes and musical numbers, Tootsie becomes downhearted. For someone who has never seen the movie, I found the show very inconsistent which tons of plot holes. For a show that is quite long, the creative team missed the opportunity to focus on Micheal’s struggles as an actor and offer him dialogue and songs that give the viewer a reason not to care. Instead, the creative team offers supporting actors that don’t help the story feel authentic. The show ends on an odd note making you feel that the creative team knew they had a mess in their hands.

I appreciate the changes made to the tour production to it feel more genuine and vulnerable, but at times it felts too forced. I enjoyed the feminist statements added to the production due to the backlash the production received on Broadway. I have seen and reviewed thousands of shows and sometimes you feel the energy in the room and you could FEEL it on the opening night of Tootsie. Low claps during moments of vulnerability for characters and feminist statements.

Tootsie: The Comedy Musical is an example that not every film should be turned into a musical. Yes, you will laugh, but Tootsie misses an opportunity to make an impact and express self-reflection in an original way.

Tootsie: The Comedy Musical is playing until June 12 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Tickets start at $28.00 and can be purchased online or at the box office. https://scfta.org/