Character guide
Sandy Lester
from Tootsie
Sandy Lester is Michael Dorsey's anxious, insecure ex-girlfriend in Tootsie, the 2019 musical with music and lyrics by David Yazbek.
- Show
- Tootsie
- Broadway premiere
- 2019
- Role
- Supporting
- Music by
- David Yazbek
Who played Sandy Lester?
- On screen
- Teri Garr (1982 film)
- Originated on Broadway
- Sarah Stiles (2019)
Sandy Lester: from the film to Broadway
Broadway compared with the 1982 film
Teri Garr played Sandy Lester in the 1982 film, the anxious actress who auditions for the same soap role Michael wins as Dorothy, then begins a romance with Michael that ends when he admits he loves someone else. Sarah Stiles originated Sandy in the 2019 Broadway musical.
On stage, Sandy's nerves get a song of their own. Her showcase number, What's Gonna Happen, returns later as a reprise, giving the character a musical spotlight the film's Sandy never had. The musical also moves the world she and Michael compete in from television soap operas to Broadway, where Michael's alter ego Dorothy lands a role in Juliet's Nurse.
Sandy Lester: role facts
- Originated on Broadway by
- Sarah Stiles (2019)
- Voice type and range
- Alto or mezzo-soprano (belt), A3 to E5
- Songs Sandy Lester sings
- What's Gonna Happen (solo)
- What's Gonna Happen (Reprise) (solo, Act One)
- What's Gonna Happen (Reprise) (solo, Act Two)
Who is Sandy Lester?
Sandy Lester is a fellow actress and Michael's former girlfriend, an endearingly high strung performer who spirals through anxious self doubt whenever she is put on the spot. She remains entangled with Michael's chaotic scheming throughout the show, often unknowingly caught up in the fallout of his Dorothy disguise.
Sandy's nervous energy and rapid fire self deprecation make her one of the show's most purely comic characters, even as her genuine insecurities about her career and relationships give the role real emotional texture beneath the jokes.
Sandy's role in Tootsie
Sandy Lester is a supporting role built around high energy comic delivery, particularly in patter driven numbers that showcase rapid, anxious rambling. The role demands sharp comic timing and vocal control to land its rapid fire lyrics without losing clarity.
Audiences remember Sandy for stealing scenes with her frantic, spiraling monologues and songs, providing some of the show's biggest laughs while also grounding its farcical plot with a character whose insecurities feel recognizably real.
Sandy Lester: frequently asked questions
Who played Sandy in Tootsie?
Teri Garr played Sandy Lester in the 1982 film. Sarah Stiles originated Sandy in the 2019 Broadway musical, where Sandy's showcase number is What's Gonna Happen.
What show is Sandy Lester from?
Sandy Lester is a supporting character in Tootsie, which opened on Broadway in 2019.
Is Sandy Lester a lead or supporting role?
Sandy Lester is a supporting role as Michael's former girlfriend.
Who wrote the music for Tootsie?
David Yazbek wrote the music and lyrics for Tootsie.
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