This article was published by Triangle Review on 14 March 2024.

I had my doubts about going to see the Durham Performing Arts Center's presentation of the 2021 Broadway musical comedy Mrs. Doubtfire (based on the 1993 film Mrs. Doubtfire, which is based on Anne Fine's 1987 novel, Madame Doubtfire, with music and lyrics by Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick and a book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell). I couldn't imagine anyone holding a flame to Robin Williams' performance in the movie. But I was more than pleasantly surprised -- at some points, nearly ecstatic -- by two-time Tony nominee Rob McClure's multifaceted performance as Daniel Hilliard, the man-child protagonist of the production.

The show opens with Daniel at center stage, standing behind a sound system, performing the latest of his string of jobs. He takes on the voices of a plethora of well-known personalities as he recites the usually boring preshow announcements (no photography, turn off cell phones, etc.) of whatever production is at hand. Homer Simpson, Darth Vader, Kermit the Frog, Donald Trump, Yoda -- McClure is a fabulous impersonator, not unlike Robin Williams. And this is only the tip of his iceberg of talents, over which Daniel's lack of control costs him this job and many others before it.

As Daniel's family situation deteriorates, alongside his employment troubles, and he begins to impersonate the old Scottish nanny, Mrs. Doubtfire, in order to remain a part of his children's lives, McClure's expanse as a performer is unveiled. Among the highlights is his high-heeled tap dancing in "Easy Peasy," the show-tunes-like number when Mrs. Doubtfire learns to cook using videos on the Internet. During this scene, my 13-year-old son turned to me and said, "This is really good" -- which, given his generally critical nature (particularly when it comes to musicals) is no small matter.

The best part of the production is when Daniel Hilliard, who is working as a janitor at a television studio, experiments with the loop machine of a guest on Mr. Jolly's outdated children's show. McClure's one-man performance of "It's About Time" is akin to the ADD antics of Robin Williams, as he incorporates electronic looping, puppetry, rap, and beatboxing into a song about how to tell time that should be part of every second-grade curriculum.

But McClure isn't the only game in town. Though some are more vocally adept than others, all the actors are up to snuff. Nik Alexander's portrayal of Andre Mayem, the gay hair-dressing partner of Daniel Hilliard's brother Frank (Aaron Kaburick) is delightful, both when and when it is not set to music. His performance in the group number "Make Me a Woman" justifiably draws loud laughter and applause.

David Korins' set moves seamlessly from television/sound studio to hair-and-makeup salon to the interior and exterior of the Hilliards' San Francisco home, aided in transition by large group song-and-dance numbers that have viewers dancing in their seats. Every ensemble cast member deserves recognition, no doubt in large part due to choreographer Lorin Latarro.

Though his role as Daniel's wife Miranda's (Maggie Lakis) new love interest is a comparably small one, Leo Roberts is dreamy as Stuart Dunmire; and he is the pinnacle of vocal talent in the production. Like his physique, Roberts' voice is deep, strong, and just the right amount of operatic -- much like Richard White's Gaston in Disney's 1991 film version of Beauty and the Beast. Stuart Dunmire's and Mrs. Doubtfire's Sweat-Gym duet, "Big Fat No," could be a nightmare, given the opposite extremes of their characters' voices; but Roberts and McClure make harmony in a way that showcases both Roberts' vocal prowess and McClure's adept and playful older-female impersonation.

Also stars of the show, child performers Emerson Mae Chan (who alternates with Kennedy Pitney) and Cody Braverman (who alternates with Axel Bernard Rimmele) are comfortable and adorably believable in their shared portrayals of the Hilliards' youngest children, even when they are singing; and Giselle Gutierrez's pop-song vocal timbres in "What the Hell" and "Just Pretend" are appropriately refreshing as she unfolds the teenage character of Lydia Hilliard in song.

The best word to describe director Jerry Zaks' touring production of Mrs. Doubtfire, the musical, is FUN. This is a performance that you should bring your kids to -- particularly if your family is experiencing the effects of divorce. It will not only keep your attention until the end, but it will leave you feeling even better than when you got there.