'Tootsie' turns 1982 gender politics into a post-MeToo musical with 11 Tony nominations
NEW YORK - There's a game-changing moment early in "Tootsie," the new Broadway musical based on the 1982 film, when an iconic but dated comedy suddenly gets new life - and cultural relevance - in 2019.
In a first-act scene, lead producer Rita Marshall is meeting with her team, trying to rescue "Juliet's Curse," their foundering musical. She's the only woman in the group, struggling to be heard, and when she gets a sensible suggestion from Dorothy Michaels - an out-of-work actor who has secretly dressed up as a woman to land a part - Marshall puts her foot down.
"I'm going to gamble on the smartest voice in the room, especially when it's coming from a woman!" she says, silencing the protests of an obnoxious male director. "I'm the producer, and I write the checks!"
Welcome to the brand-new "Tootsie." The musical earned 11 Tony nominations last week, including
