Forty years since the critically acclaimed movie Tootsie hit the big screen, it’s now finding a new home on the stage at the Kelowna Actors Studio.
“We are very excited to get the rights to Tootsie the musical, it’s the first time it’s being presented in Canada and we are so happy to bring it to the Okanagan,” said Randy Leslie, co-founder of the Kelowna Actors Studio and director of Tootsie the musical.
Stepping into the roles made famous by Dustin Hoffman decades ago and making his debut at the Kelowna theatre company is Michael Esposito II as Michael Dorsey, and eventually as Michaels’ alter ego, Dorothy Michaels.
“Michael Dorsey is an actor who has been out of work for quite a while and every time he seems to get a job he gets fired and its not that he isn’t a brilliant actor — he is — but he is really difficult to work with,” said Esposito II.
“Dorothy Michaels is his antithesis, Dorothy Michaels is firm but fair, very open to helping everyone, wanting it to be a team effort and through that, she teaches him about being a better person, what it might mean to be a woman and what those struggles might be.”
Along for the ride is Michael Dorsey’s friend and confidante, Jeff Slater.
“Jeff is kind of a Jiminy Cricket to Michael. He’s the voice of reason and he is his conscience, but at the same time he gets more joy from Michael messing up than he does from him actually doing something right so he glorifies Michael being such a screw-up,” said Chris Derochie who plays Jeff Slater.
Experience the Canadian debut of Tootsie the musical yourself Feb. 7 to Feb. 25 at the Kelowna Actors Studio. For ticket information visit www.kelownaactorsstudio.com