By Shari Barrett
After seeing Mrs. Doubtfire at the Hollywood Pantages, I will never understand how Rob McClure did not win the Tony Award for his extraordinary, star-making performance in the title role on Broadway. His enthusiastic energy exploded from the stage, both as voice-over actor Daniel Hillard fighting to be with his children and forge a career for himself and as Euphegenia Doubtfire, everybody’s favorite Scottish nanny. Especially entertaining were the many times his lightning-fast transformation from character to character took place in full view of the audience, donning and removing his full body suit, shoes, wig and lifelike mask, sometimes on his own and other times with the assistance of fellow cast members, Aaron Kaburick (as Daniel’s brother Frank Hillard) and Nik Alexander as Frank’s fabulous hairdresser husband Andre Mayem, who answer Daniel’s plea to “Make me a Woman.”
The smash hit musical comedy is also currently playing to sold out houses in London’s West End, and no doubt the same will happen for the North American Tour at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre through June 30. In it, McClure is joined by renowned actress and real-life wife, Maggie Lakis as Miranda Hillard, his character’s onstage wife. Their natural chemistry shines through even when the two are at odds over the welfare of their kids. And what a talented trio they are: Giselle Gutierrez as Lydia Hillard, Sam Bird as Christopher Hillard, and Emerson Mae Chan as Natalie Hillard. (Christopher and Natalie are double cast.)
The musical follows the story of out-of-work actor Daniel Hillard who will do anything for his kids. After losing custody in a messy divorce, he creates the kindly alter ego of Scottish nanny Mrs. Doubtfire in a desperate attempt to stay in their lives. As his new character takes on a life of its own, Daniel gets more than he bargained for about how to be a father. A hysterical and heartfelt story about holding onto your loved ones against all odds is the musical comedy we need right now – one that proves we’re better
together while laughing from start to finish. And while there is enough adult humor and language, this musical is a perfect way to introduce your children to the wonders of Broadway musical theatre!
Handsome British baritone Leo Roberts portrays Stuart Dunmire, the bodybuilder who falls for Miranda. When Mrs. Doubtfire visits the gym where Stu is working out, he tries to convince him that Miranda is not that into him with “Big Fat No,” joined by the other well-built men in the ensemble decked out to reveal broad shoulders and bulging biceps. And I must say I did not care what the answer was when Doubtfire asked, “Where did you guys come from?” All that mattered was that they were there!
There were so many numbers that deserve a full review on their own, including McClure’s antics on the Mr. Jolly children’s show to the scene at La Rosa Restaurant when flamenco dancers decided to include Mrs. Doubtfire in their big number. McClure’s total immersion into the dance sequence was beyond comical to the point of hysteria when the big reveal proving who she really was happened!
Kudos go to the entire ensemble who are featured in twelve numbers, each with glorious costumes designed by Catherine Zuber. Moveable scenic design by David Korins morphs between locations quickly behind a stage area-splitting curtain. The creative team is rounded out by Choreographer Lorin Latarro; Music Supervisor, Arranger and Orchestrator Ethan Popp; Lighting Designer, Philip S. Rosenberg; with Sound Design by Brian Ronan and Craig Cassidy (which needs some work as lines and lyrics were often muffled); and Hair & Wig Design by David Brian Brown.
With quick-paced direction by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks, the new musical comedy Mrs. Doubtfire features a book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell and music and lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick. More information and tickets are available at www.Ticketmaster.com, www.BroadwayInHollywood.com, or in person at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre box office, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles 90028.
Not a Moment, But a Movement is a very special three-day festival coming to the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City from Saturday, June 22 to Monday, June 24, an initiative created to amplify, center and celebrate Black voices, presented by Center Theatre Group in collaboration with the Fire This Time Festival and Watts Village Theater Company. For this second season, a cohort of woman-identifying or non-binary playwrights were commissioned to write new plays beginning in January 2021. Five of these playwrights will have their resulting works read, which mark the first time that any of these plays will be presented to the public. The plays deal with a wide range of themes – from personal coming of age stories and explorations of gender identity and body dysmorphia, experiences of intimacy and joy, complex issues about civil rights and queer identity, and the loss of independence while enduring dementia.
In the order of presentation, the plays are: Kia Was Here written by Tahirih Moeller and directed by Bruce Lemon on Saturday, June 22nd at 3pm; FKA I AM A BAD BLK PERSON written by Z & Co” f/aka AzizA Barnes and directed by nicHi douglas on Saturday, June 22 at 7 p.m.; Letters From Loretta written by Cynthia Grace Robinson and directed by Andi Chapman on Sunday, June 23 at 3 p.m.; Night Cities written by Roger Q. Mason and directed by Nancy Keystone on Sunday, June 23 at 7 p.m.; and Blue Paris Blues written by t. tara turk-haynes and directed by Khanisha Foster on Monday, June 24 at 7 p.m. The final play is an imagining of when Diahann Carroll, Sidney Poitier, Joanne Woodward, Paul Newman, Duke Ellington, and Marlon Brando came together to make the 1961 movie Paris Blues about jazz expatriates in Paris. More information and tickets at https://www.centertheatregroup.org/
The Hollywood Fringe Festival, an annual, open-access, community-derived event celebrating freedom of expression and collaboration in the performing arts community, is taking place through June 30 during which fully equipped theaters, parks, clubs, churches, restaurants and other unexpected places host hundreds of productions by local, national, and international arts companies and independent performers. By opening the gates to anyone with a vision without the barrier of a curating body, the festival exhibits the most diverse and cutting-edge points-of-view the world has to offer. Additionally, by creating an environment where artists must self-produce their work, the Fringe motivates its participants to cultivate the spirit of entrepreneurialism in the arts with 100 percent of box office revenues going to participating artists and venues. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/
I am attending more than a dozen plays during the Hollywood Fringe Festival and will be posting my reviews on each play’s page on the Fringe website. See a play and write your own review about it!
