The musical adaptation of the 1993 comedy film “Mrs. Doubtfire” will make its way to the IU Auditorium on Feb. 28 for two performances. There will be a matinee show at 2 p.m. and an evening performance at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at the IU Auditorium box office and website, starting at $40 for the public and $26 for students.
The musical follows Daniel (Craig Allen Smith), a freelance voice actor going through a divorce. After losing custody of his kids, he decides to disguise himself as a Scottish nanny, Mrs. Doubtfire, to be able to spend time with his children. Through the humorous and well-intentioned deceit, the family learns that regardless of troubles, love will prevail.
Written by Tony-nominated Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell with music by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick, the musical had its first Broadway run in 2021. It was originally directed by four-time Tony winner Jerry Zaks, with Rob McClure starring as Daniel.
An hour before the evening performance of the show, Brenda R. Weber, director of the College Arts and Humanities Institute and provost professor in the department of Gender Studies, will give a pre-show talk.
Weber said in an email that the talk will focus on the history of the story, exploring the production team behind the show and how the adaptation came to be.
“The 1993 film was a cultural milestone for a lot of reasons, some of which is true today and some very specific to the 1990s,” Weber wrote. “There are quite a few cringy moments in the film that are worth thinking about in our discussion - what makes a ‘good’ man, worries about trans-embodiment, why Mrs. Doubtfire needs to be in her 60's, etc. I do think there is something really critical to think about with respect to Robin Williams and his extraordinary physical humor - it will be interesting to see how the musical manages that element of the story.”
One change made to the musical was giving Daniel’s brother, Frank, a bigger role than his short appearance in the movie.
Actor Brian Kalinowski is playing the role in the national tour of “Mrs. Doubtfire.”
Kalinowski said he’s originally from Wilmington, Delaware, but went to college at DeSales University in Pennsylvania before moving to New York after graduating. He’s lived in New York City since 2004 and works as an actor and nightlife entertainer at Don't Tell Mama Piano Bar. The actor said he’s loved being on tour and getting to travel the country.
“It’s just great to see, like, you know, all of the different landscapes and cultures and different ways of life all around the U.S.,” Kalinowski said. “And I get to do that while I’m also able to play in all of these amazing theaters that are just, like, so gorgeous.”
Kalinowski said he’s already learned a lot more about comedy by doing the show. The original director of the Broadway show, Zaks, did rehearsals with the touring cast, and Kalinowski said it was essentially a masterclass on comedy.
“Comedy can be a science, you know?” Kalinowski said. “Like they say, comedy comes in threes. And there are just, like, specific things that make things work better and that can make them funnier, always.”
Kalinowski said it was slightly intimidating to go into a role that already had such an iconic performance in the original film.
“The original person who played my role in the movie was Harvey Fierstein, and, like, no one can be like Harvey Fierstein, right?” Kalinowski said. “So, I kind of had to make it my own.”
Kalinowski said he pays homage to Fierstein’s performance through his vocal performance but was able to expand his character, as he has a bigger role in the musical. Kalinowski said the musical also delves deeper into Daniel’s mind so the audience can better understand his actions.
He teased a nightmare dream sequence that Daniel has and an elaborate tap number as some of the changes made in the musical.
“There are so many added elements that you kind of get a little bit more of what’s going on in Daniel/Mrs. Doubtfire’s mind,” Kalinowski said. “You can connect more to what Daniel is thinking and why he’s doing all of this crazy stuff for his family.”
However, Kalinowski ensured that fans of the original movie will still love this adaptation, saying that audience members can expect to laugh their heads off.
“If you are a fan of the movie, you’re gonna be an even bigger fan of the show,” Kalinowski said. “Because the laughs are just constant, but there’s also a great heart to this story and to this musical, because it really is, in the end, all about a family, and it’s about love.”
