Tootsie brings love, music, and laughter to the stage

Audiences can expect a dazzling show of laughter and glamour as Kelowna Actors Studio brings the Broadway sensation Tootsie: The Musical to life.

The performance is an adaptation of the iconic 1982 film starring Dustin Hoffman.

It follows Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor, who, after torpedoing his career for being too difficult to work with, develops a new personality as Dorothy Michaels, to secure a role in a Broadway musical.

It explores themes of love and self-discovery while providing comedic moments, catchy songs, and a charismatic narrative with an unexpected conflict.

Michael Esposito II told Kelowna10 that playing the titular role has proven to be a gratifying challenge. Through exploring the intricacies of his character, he delves into the duality of portraying two personas within the same role, he said.

“A lot of it comes from figuring out who Michael Dorsey was first, and then what would his idea of a woman be. He’s a talented actor and he tries to understand his characters and really tries to make them pure people,” he explained.

Esposito II took inspiration from various sources, including interviews with the original Broadway actor to help build a connection to both characters.

“I pulled a lot from Dolly Parton and from Patti LuPone, and a few other Broadway actresses, and just watched a bunch of their videos… and try to match the similarities,” he explained.

“Then, it was what kind of body stance and how would I hold myself in looking through different touch points that I could really draw from and reconnects to. And that that helped that helped me transform and feel like I could embody both Michael Dorsey and Dorothy Michaels."

One of the notable production elements for this show is the rotating stage.

Throughout the show, there are 12 different locations, which posed a major task for the crew.

“While the scenes are running on stage behind the wall, they're putting in trucks with Julie's apartment. Then while Julie's apartment is happening, they're changing out behind to Michael's apartment…so this way the action doesn't stop,” Director Randy Leslie said.

“We have 4 to 5 crew members backstage that move all the furniture on the rotate and put these trucks that have the different kitchen cabinets, and everything in. So magically when it rotates, you have a new scene.”

The show runs from Feb. 7 to 25. Tickets can be purchased here.