Theater review: A revamped ‘Tootsie’ in Costa Mesa engages with 21st century sensibilities

The thinnest ice cracks dangerously when you tell people that a movie they love has been changed and that they might enjoy the new version as much or even more.

With crushed ice on hand, here goes: the musical version of “Tootsie,” which opened Wednesday, June 1 in Costa Mesa, stacks up very well with the revered Dustin Hoffman-Jessica Lange movie of yore.

Fresh, engaging and played in accordance with modern sensibilities, it has the humor — more laughs, actually –— and a terrific, 17-song earworm score.

The plot arc is familiar: failing actor/self-absorbed pain-in-the-tuchus Michael Dorsey reinvents himself in disguise as dowdy, but unexpectedly successful actress Dorothy Michaels.

Instead of a TV soap opera, the setting here is tryouts for a new musical. But while the cross-dressing complications of Michael falling for his co-star Julie echo the original, the questionable subterfuge of a man cheating a woman out of employment is newly addressed in smart, droll fashion.

What’s peculiar is how almost criminally underappreciated this show was during a short Broadway run, expiring in early January 2020 with COVID not yet a factor.

The Tony Awards were a likely suspect: of 11 nominations, only Santino Fontana’s terrific turn as Michael/Dorothy won a deserved best actor in a musical award.

New York’s loss is our gain for the next couple weeks at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

A major factor is David Yazbek’s score. In March, “The Band’s Visit” came through Segerstrom, with Yazbek’s Mideast-inflected music a beguiling, atmospheric triumph.

“Tootsie” is his follow-up musical, and from the buzzy overture this is a totally different approach, a straight-ahead pop sensibility, with vigor and hum driving the show.

Among the wealth of riches on auditory display is a leading candidate for best motor-mouthed vocal in a musical ever. The prize continues to go to Stephen Sondheim’s “Getting Married Today” from “Company,” but with the stop-start, Latin-y tune “Model Behavior” from his earlier show “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” Yazbek showed himself a contender for this crown.

Here, once heard, the frantic pacing of “What’s Gonna Happen” is not easily forgotten (the rapid-fire wit in the rhyme schemes requires listener concentration, but an inspired for-instance is Yazbek matching up the phrase “see ya” with “Scalia”).

This touring production is filled with non-equity acting talent, but director Dave Solomon — he was the associate director on the original Broadway version — has forged a unified cast ensemble with vitality and a strong grasp of the comedy possibilities in the material that are on great display here.

A key, of course, is the believability of the male lead becoming a plausible Dorothy. This being a musical, the tension is ratcheted up even more for Drew Becker in the role when he sings for the first time as Dorothy in the number “I Won’t Let You Down.” The opening night’s audience reaction informed the proceedings that his upper range easily clears the bar.

Another more-than-capable vocalist/actor opposite Becker in a lead is Ashley Alexandra as Julie. This role demands the character lurch emotionally in a two-step-forward, one-step sideways progression of both appreciating and being baffled by Dorothy’s role in her life. Alexandra’s centered calm and expressive singing are an asset.

There are excellent supplemental performances here and, fortunately, no faults to find.

Jared David Michael Grant’s impeccable timing and outright glee as Michael’s best friend/scorekeeper of his conniving behavior is engaging in every scene. As Michael’s hyper former-girlfriend Sandy, Payton Reilly taps thoroughly into the neurotic, but not ditzy core of the role; the only problem for the audience is that is that her character disappears for long stretches.

As hunky himbo Max — any opportunity for his shirt to be pulled off will be taken — nutburger director/choreographer Ron and hyperbolic agent Stan, actors Lukas James Miller, Adam du Plessis and Steve Brustien, respectively, enliven things whenever they are on hand.

A further virtue of this touring production is scenic designer Christine Peters’ appealing and functional sets, maneuvered on and off with a minimum of fuss that doesn’t bog down the action.

Not in any way damning-by-faint-praise, there is hard-won logic to the humor and hijinks found in Robert Horn’s book. Everything fun is funny in the moment for a reason, plus lines land in surprising ways, not an easy writing trick to consistently pull off.

“Tootsie” pretty much makes everything land well. How many musicals have we seen that can stake that claim?

‘Tootsie’

Rating: 3 1/2 stars (out of 4)

When: Through June 12; 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m., Sundays

Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

Tickets: $28-$116

Information: 949-556-2787; www.scfta.org

COVID-19 protocols: Attendees are required to show proof of full vaccination and photo I.D. to enter the theater. Any ticket holders (including those under age 12) without proof of full vaccination can present a negative COVID-19 test (PCR taken within 48 hours or antigen taken within 6 hours) of the performance. At-home test results are not accepted. Masks are recommended but not required to be worn inside the building.

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