Mrs. Doubtfire the musical is headed to Broadway this March. The musical adaptation of the beloved family film has already had a successful run at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre.
The original hit 1993 film tells the story of divorcee Daniel Hillard as he creates a female nanny alter-ego by the name of Mrs. Doubtfire in order to spend more time with his children after losing a custody battle. Legendary actor Robin Williams played Hillard in the film, and many consider his portrayal to be one of Williams’ finest comedic roles. Mrs. Doubtfire won the Golden Globe for Best Picture (Musical/Comedy) and Robin Williams won the Golden Globe for Best Actor (Musical/Comedy) for his starring role. Williams was reportedly in talks to reprise the role for a sequel, but the plan was ultimately scrapped after Williams passed away.
Per Variety, the Mrs. Doubtfire musical is set to begin previews on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on March 9th. The cast includes Tony Award nominated Broadway actor Rob McClure as Daniel Hillard and Jenn Gambatese as Miranda Hillard, Daniel’s ex-wife. (Sally Field played the role in the film.) The musical is directed by Tony Award-winning director Jerry Saks with Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick handling the adaptation’s score. The musical has already made $4.7 million in ticket sales over the span of 42 performances in Seattle.
While previews for the musical adaptation are to begin in March, the official premiere is set for April 5th. New Broadway musicals traditionally go through an initial preview period before the premiere, much like movies will be previewed to test audiences in order to smooth out any rough spots in the production in time for the official opening. Currently there are several other highly successful movie to musical adaptations currently on Broadway, including Aladdin, Beetlejuice, The Lion King and Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Conversely, the film adaptation of the musical Cats (one of Broadway’s longest running shows) was universally panned when in premiered in movie theaters. The box office grosses were also abysmal, a stark contrast to the original musical’s monetary success.
Although it will likely be challenging for audiences who grew up with the original Mrs. Doubtfire not to compare Robin Williams’s hilarious take in the titular role to the musical adaptation, the production has already proven that it can stand on its own two feet. Other actors who in the past have taken on the mantle of one of Williams’ iconic characters have always done best when they presented an inspired portrayal rather than a cheap Williams imitation. A prime example being Will Smith’s take on Genie from the recent live action Aladdin movie. Musicals and film are two entirely different art forms, and typically the most successful adaptations tend to rely on embracing the benefits of presenting the story on screen or the stage. (Or fail when they don’t.) While the jury’s still out on how the new Mrs. Doubtfire musical will fare on Broadway, the adaptation will introduce a new generation of audience members the touching and hilarious tale of a father who just wanted to spend more time with his children.
Next: Cats: 10 Other Musicals That Should Not Be Adapted Into Film
Source: Variety
