Review: 'Tootsie' the musical is fun, and a worthy update to the movie

Drew Becker, left, who plays Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels, listens to his roommate Jeff, played by Jared David Michael Grant, in a scene from 'Tootsie,' which is on stage at the Kravis Center through Sunday.
Drew Becker, left, who plays Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels, listens to his roommate Jeff, played by Jared David Michael Grant, in a scene from 'Tootsie,' which is on stage at the Kravis Center through Sunday.

Can a man become a better man by pretending to be a woman? That’s one of the questions posed by the musical “Tootsie,” which is now playing through Sunday at the Kravis Center.

“Tootsie” the musical is based on the 1982 movie starring Dustin Hoffman, in which he portrayed temperamental New York actor Michael Dorsey, who can’t get a job because of his reputation for being difficult. On a whim, Dorsey decides to dress like a woman to audition for a female role in a musical. He wins the part and his career skyrockets.

The musical follows the movie fairly closely although the soap opera milieu of the film has been changed to a Broadway show, a sequel to “Romeo and Juliet” in which Michael’s new creation, Dorothy Michaels, lands the role of Juliet’s nurse, who quickly takes center stage as the star of the show. Only Michael’s roommate, Jeff, knows his secret, a secret which not only complicates Michael’s personal and professional life, but also makes it difficult for him to pursue his budding love for his costar, Julie.

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While the musical’s book, written by Robert Horn, has some issues that require a greater suspension of disbelief than simply believing that no one notices Dorothy is actually a man, it does address some of the troublesome issues that the film, a product of its era, did not. For example, Jeff points out that at a time when women are actively taking back their power from men, Michael takes a job away from a woman by impersonating a woman. The story also touches on gender fluidity and being romantically attracted to a person, not a gender.

As Michael/Dorothy, Drew Becker believably portrays both of his roles, although the southern accent he adopts for Dorothy, a throwback to the movie, is out of place here, especially for Dorothy’s Broadway role. Ashley Alexandra is a likable performer with a sweet voice and she does a fine job playing Julie, even though her character is saddled is a lot of the message dialogue about what it’s like to be a woman.

The supporting roles are more dynamically written and often overshadow the two leads. As Jeff, Jared David Michael Grant is hilarious with his deadpan delivery of some of the show’s best lines as well as one of the funniest songs, “Jeff Sums It Up.” Payton Reilly, who plays Michael’s needy friend Sandy, is adept at physical comedy and delivering the tongue-twisting “What’s Gonna Happen.” Matthew Rella, as a young reality star turned actor who falls for the more mature Dorothy, nails his big comic number, “This Thing.”

The gender-bending storyline of “Tootsie” raises issues that continue to be timely more than 40 years after the film was released. It’s a fun musical, an enjoyable, worthy update to the popular movie.

*

IF YOU GO

“Tootsie” runs through Sunday at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. For tickets and information, call 561-832-7469 or visit KravisCenter.org

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Review: 'Tootsie' the musical is fun, and a worthy update to the movie