FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Hello Deary!
The ultimate nanny is making a stop at the Broward Center for Performing Arts.
“Mrs. Doubtfire: The Musical” is the same beloved movie, now made for the stage! It was a bit of a daunting task for Rob McClure and Maggie Lakis to take on iconic roles.
“If I could tap into how he made us feel, that’s what I wanted to chase,” McClure said, regarding playing Mrs. Doubtfire, a role made famous by Robin Williams.
Lakis, meanwhile, had to capture the legend that is Sally Field.
“We don’t want to copy the movie. We want to bring the spirit of the movie to life,” she said.
And the complete transformation of becoming Mrs. Doubtfire is all part of the theatre magic. The transformation takes place 31 times a show.
“The longest I have to do the full head to toe transformation is 90 seconds. And the shortest is actually 18 seconds,” McClure said.
Even though McClure and Lakis play a divorced couple on stage, they’re happily married in real life.
Their 5-year-old, Sadie, is on the road with them, along with their two cats, as they travel the country performing. But even though Sadie understands “make believe,” she still had a tough time seeing mom and dad not get along on stage.
“She said ‘you look sad.’ And I said, I am just pretending to be sad, I’m not really sad,” said Lakis.
The musical captures the heart of the movie, which is all families look different, but there’s always love.
“it still has still lots to say on stage, now 30 years later,” added McClure.
“Mrs. Doubtfire: The Musical” is playing at the Broward Center until April 21. You can find ticket information here.