Show guide
Tootsie
Tootsie is a comedy musical about a struggling actor who disguises himself as a woman to land a role, adapted from the 1982 film with a score by David Yazbek.
- Broadway premiere
- 2019
- Music by
- David Yazbek
- Genre
- Comedy
- Setting
- 2010s
Tootsie: quick answers
What is Tootsie about?
- Difficult, out-of-work actor Michael Dorsey disguises himself as a woman, Dorothy Michaels, to land a role in a new Broadway musical, then falls for his castmate Julie Nichols.
When did Tootsie open on Broadway?
- Tootsie opened on Broadway on April 23, 2019, at the Marquis Theatre, after a Chicago tryout. It ran for 293 regular performances and closed on January 5, 2020.
What kind of musical is Tootsie?
- Tootsie is a musical comedy with an original score by David Yazbek and a Tony-winning book by Robert Horn. It adapts the 1982 film but moves the story from a TV soap opera to a Broadway musical.
Where and when is Tootsie set?
- Tootsie is set in New York City, largely backstage at a new Broadway musical called Juliet's Nurse.
Is there a Tootsie movie?
- The musical is based on Sydney Pollack's 1982 film starring Dustin Hoffman as Michael and Jessica Lange as Julie, a role that won Lange the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
The story of Tootsie
Tootsie follows Michael Dorsey, an out of work and famously difficult actor, who reinvents himself as Dorothy Michaels in order to land a part he cannot get under his own name. As Dorothy, Michael becomes an unlikely star and finds himself falling for his castmate Julie Nichols, all while trying to keep his disguise from unraveling.
The stage version updates the story's premise, shifting the film's soap opera setting to a struggling stage musical and its story to modern show business, while keeping its central comic engine of a man learning humility and empathy by walking, however briefly, in a woman's shoes.
The music and the makers
David Yazbek wrote the music and lyrics, with a book by Robert Horn adapting the original screenplay for the stage. Yazbek's score is fast, witty, and built for comic timing, full of patter songs and character driven numbers that keep pace with the story's farcical plot mechanics.
Numbers like Whaddya Do and Unstoppable showcase the show's blend of big comic set pieces and sincere emotional moments, giving Tootsie a score that leans into old fashioned musical comedy energy while still sounding thoroughly contemporary.
Tootsie on Broadway
Tootsie opened on Broadway on April 23, 2019 at the Marquis Theatre, with Santino Fontana starring as Michael Dorsey and Lilli Cooper as Julie Nichols. The production earned strong reviews for its comic writing and Fontana's dual performance.
At the Tony Awards, Tootsie won for Robert Horn's book and for Fontana's lead performance, out of eleven total nominations. The show closed on January 5, 2020, after a run of under a year, but its Tony wins for writing and lead acting cemented its reputation as one of the sharpest book musicals of its Broadway season.
Tootsie: frequently asked questions
When did Tootsie open on Broadway?
Tootsie opened on Broadway on April 23, 2019 at the Marquis Theatre.
Who composed Tootsie?
David Yazbek wrote the music and lyrics, with a book by Robert Horn.
What is Tootsie about?
It follows a struggling actor, Michael Dorsey, who disguises himself as a woman to land a role and falls for his castmate Julie Nichols along the way.
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