>> MOVIES HAVE LONG BEEN SOURCE
MATERIAL FOR BROADWAY MUSICALS
AND NOW ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
MOVIES OF 1980s HAS BEEN GIVEN
THE MUSICAL THEATER TREATMENT.
TOOTSIE STARRED DUSTIN HOFFMAN
WHO AN ACTOR BECOMES A TV SOAP
OPERA SENSATION AFTER MAKING
PEOPLE BELIEVE HE IS A WOMAN AND
DELVED INTO GENDER ROLES DECADES
BEFORE IT BECAME PART OF OUR
CONVERSATION.
THE MUSICAL VERSION IS ONLY IN
CHICAGO FOR A FEW MORE DAYS AND
HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT IT
ARE TWO STARS.
LILLY COOPER PLAYS THE ROLE
PLAYED BY JESSICA LANG WHICH
EARNED LANG AN OSCAR.
AND SAN CONTINUE KNOW FONTANA
TAKES ON THE ROLE THAT DUSTIN
HOFFMAN PLAYED.
SANTINO WAS THE VOICE OF PRINCE
HANS IN FROZEN.
I'M HEARING GREAT THINGS TELL US
ABOUT THIS VERSION OF TOOTSIE.
HOW DIFFERENT IS IT FROM THE
FILM THAT PEOPLE REMEMBER?
>> I THINK WE KEEP THE CORE
STORY AND THE HUMOR OF THE
MOVIE.
BUT IT IS SET TODAY AND WE HAVE
A BROADWAY MUSICAL INSTEAD OF A
SOAP OPERA.
IT'S DIFFERENT BUT I THINK WE
KEEP THE HEART OF IT FOR SURE.
>> HAVE BOTH OF YOU SEEN THE
MOVIE?
HOW MUCH OF THAT DID INFLUENCE
THE CHARACTER?
>> I SAW THE MOVIE TWO YEARS AGO
WHEN THE DIRECTOR CALLED ME TO
READ THE SCRIPT AND I SAW IT
AGAIN FIVE OR SIX MONTHS LATER
WITH MY FAMILY BUT THAT IS IT.
I'VE READ THE SCREEN PLAY AND
GONE BACK TO THAT AND ROBERT
HORN WHO ADAPTED THE BOOK AND
THE FILM HAS DONE A GREAT JOB.
>> YOU HAVE TO DO QUITE A BIT OF
TRANSFORMATION AS DUSTIN HOFFMAN
DID.
TELL US ABOUT THE PROCESS AND
HOW YOU PULL IT OFF?
>> THERE IS A LOT OF SHAVING
INVOLVED.
A LOT OF UNDER GARMENTS AND
ELASTIC.
A LOT OF MAKEUP.
THERE IS A LOT.
IT'S A LOT BUT IT'S FUN.
>> AND WE ARE SEEING IT AND YOU
TRANSFORM WELL AND BELIEVABLELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> YOU THINK HE IS A WOMAN FOR A
WHILE?
>> I DO.
>> LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THIS SHOW.
BECAUSE THE DIRECTOR, SCOTT
ELLIS, TOLD THE TRIBUNE CHRIS
JONES QUOTE THIS IS 100% NOT
YOUR GRANDFATHER'S TOOTSIE.
YOU SAY IT'S BEEN UPDATED TO BE
SET IN THE THEATER AND A OPEN
OPERA BUT DOES IT DELVE INTO THE
ISSUES OF GENDER THAT WERE KIND
OF BROUGHT UP IN THE MOVIE?
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN --
THE STORY IS A MAN WHO IS SO
DESPERATE AN ACTOR WHO IS SO
DESPERATE HE IS WILLING TO DO
ANYTHING TO GET THE JOB AND
MAKES THE TERRIBLE DECISION OF
TRYING TO PERPETRATE BEING A
WOMAN.
AND RUINS SEVERAL RELATIONSHIPS
ALONG THE WAY.
>> BECAUSE HE IS A JERK?
AT FIRST?
>> ANYBODY WHO TRIES TO DEFRAUD
EVERYONE THEY MEET IN THEIR NEW
JOB AND RELATIONSHIPS, DID NOT
MAKE THE BEST CHOICE.
HE WASN'T PROBABLY THINKING, I
WOULD LIKE TO THINK HE IS NOT
THINKING ABOUT IT AHEAD OF TIME.
HOWEVER ROBERT HAS THE BOOK
AGAIN IN BRINGING IT TO 2018 HAS
TO DEAL WITH WHEN YOU PERPETRATE
A WOMAN TODAY, WHAT ARE YOU
DOING?
AND AT THE SAME TIME COMING TO
TERMS WITH REALIZING AS IN ANY
SHOW, ANY ACTING JOB WHEN YOU
STEP INTO THE SHOES OF ANOTHER
PERSON, YOU BEGIN TO IDENTIFY
WITH THEM AND UNDERSTAND WHAT
THEY GO THROUGH AND HOW THAT IS
DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU GO
THROUGH.
AND HOPEFULLY YOU BECOME A
BETTER PERSON FOR IT.
AND THAT IS THE SAME WITH OUR
SHOW.
AND WE DEFINITELY DEAL WITH ALL
OF THAT.
>> AND THERE IS A LOT OF SINGING
AND DANCING IN-BETWEEN.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> DO THE LYRICS AND THE MUSIC
ARE BY DAVID WHO IS MOST FAMOUS
FOR THE FULL MONTY AND THE
BAND'S VISIT WHICH RECEIVED 10
TONY AWARDS.
THAT MIGHT BODE WELL FOR BOTH OF
YOU AT NEXT YEAR'S TONY AWARDS.
AND SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF THE
CONCLUSION OF THE SHOW WE ARE
NOT SEEING CLIPS BECAUSE IT'S
BEING TWEAKED HERE AND THERE.
NOW LILLY WE ARE SEEING YOU
BOWING BUT YOU HAVE DONE A
PREBROADWAY SHOW.
SPONGE BOB THE MUSICAL.
TELL US ABOUT THE WHOLE TRIAL
PERIOD IN CHICAGO HERE WHAT THAT
IS LIKE?
>> IT'S REALLY, REALLY SO FUN.
WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO TO
SORT OF PREVIEW THE SHOW WITH A
DIFFERENT AUDIENCE AND WHILE WE
ARE STILL WORKING ON IT AND
FINE-TUNING IT AND MAKING IT THE
BEST SHOW POSSIBLE.
SPONGE BOB WAS SUCH A FUN
EXPERIENCE.
WE WERE HERE TWO YEARS AGO.
>> AND YOU PLAYED SANDY CHEEKS.
>> I DID.
THE SCIENCE SQUIRREL.
UNDERWATER.
QUITE A DIFFERENT CHARACTER.
>> THE BIKINI BOTTOM.
>> AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN.
I GET TO PLAY A HUMAN THIS TIME
WHICH IS NICE.
>> AND WE SHOULD NOTE THAT YOU
COME FROM QUITE THE PEDIGREE YOU
COME FROM A THEATER FAMILY.
YOUR DAD IS CHUCK COOPER WHO I
TOLD YOU I SAW ON BROADWAY 20
YEARS AGO IN HIS TONY
AWARD-WINNING ROLE IN THE SHADE
OF LIFE AND THERE HE IS WHEN HE
WON THE TONY AWARD.
>> AND THAT IS MY BROTHER.
>> YOUR BROTHER EDDIE THAT IS A
BEAUTIFUL NAME, BY THE WAY.
YOUR AND MOTHER WAS AN ACTRESS
ALSO?
>> YES, SHE WAS.
AND I HAVE A SECOND BROTHER ALSO
WHO IS AN ACTOR.
IT IS A THEATRICAL DRAMATIC
FAMILY.
>> ARE YOU IN COMPETITION FOR
ROLES?
>> LUCKILY I AM THE ONLY GIRL I
DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> WELL, IF THEY TRYOUT FOR
TOOTSIE --
>> YOU NEVER KNOW, I GUESS.
>> AND YOU ARE KNOWN FAR AND
WIDE FOR OTHER ROLES.
YOUR ROLE ON CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND
AS GREG WHERE YOU HAD A STRANGE
RELATIONSHIP WITH REBECCA,
RACHEL BLOOM AND AT POINTS YOU
BURST OUT IN SONG.
YOU WERE ABLE TO USE SOME OF
YOUR THEATRICAL CHOPS YOUR
MUSICAL THEATER CHOPS IN THE
SHOW.
WAS THAT FUN?
OR DID IT HELP?
>> IT WAS FUN.
IT'S RARE AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
FEW MUSICAL TELEVISION SHOWS.
SO PART WAS A THRILL AND
EXCITING TIME IN MY LIFE.
>> THE SONG WHERE YOU SAY
GOOD-BYE TO REBECCA WHICH WE
CANNOT PLAY ON TV BUT IT WAS
REALLY CLEVER.
>> THANK YOU.
>> EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT YOU
ARE WALKING AWAY AND SHE IS
CRYING AND YOU ARE NOT COMING
BACK AND YOU LEAVE THE SHOW.
>> SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE TO DO
WHAT THEY THINK IS BEST FOR
THEIR FUTURE AND FAMILY THAT WAS
THE SITUATION WITH GREG.
>> SINCE THE TWO OF YOU ARE NOT
GOING TO SING FOR US TONIGHT
BECAUSE YOU ARE TIRED AND BUSY,
WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU SOUND
LIKE AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH YOU.
LET'S TAKE A LISTEN TO YOUR
VOICE HERE...
♪I'VE BEEN SERVING MY WHOLE LIFE
TO FIND MY OWN PLACE.
MAYBE IT'S THE PARTY TALKING OR
THE CHOCOLATE FONDUE♪
♪BUT WITH YOU I SEE YOUR FACE
AND IT'S NOTHING LIKE I'VE EVER
KNOWN BEFORE♪
>> THERE YOU ARE AS PRINCE HANS.
>> YES.
>> WHO STARTS OUT AS A GOOD GUY
LIKE REVERSE TO TOOTSIE HE
STARTS AS A GOOD GUY AND BECOMES
KIND OF A JERK.
IT'S CAUSED CONTROVERSY.
>> REALLY?
>> BECAUSE IT SAYS WELL IT MIGHT
HAVE SCARED CHILDREN WHO THOUGHT
YOU WERE --
THEY --
>> REALLY?
THE OLD MERMAID THAT IS SCARY
VILLAINS AT DISNEY.
>> I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE
FRIGHTENED ME WHEN YOU TURNED
THERE.
HOW WAS THAT?
>> I HAD A BLAST.
WE RECORDED THAT SONG WHEN I WAS
IN CINDERELLA.
I HAD TO FLY TO LA TO RECORD
THAT WITH KRISTEN BELL EIGHT
MONTHS PREGNANT AT THE TIME AND
I FLEW RIGHT BACK AND WENT BACK
INTO THE SCHEDULE AT CINDERELLA.
I LOVED DOING THAT.
AND IT WAS FIVE DAYS.
>> WE KNOW IT MADE A FEW BUCKS
ALONG THE WAY AND BECAME ONE OF
DISNEY'S BIGGEST HITS.
HOPEFULLY YOU SAW SOME OF THAT
MONEY.
>> DISNEY GOT MOST OF THE MONEY
AND THEY DESERVE T.
>> BUT YOU GOT THE FAME.
>> YES.
>> LILLY LET'S HEAR YOU.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL
VOICE AS WELL.
♪AND NOW AND NOW
[♪♪♪]
>> THAT IS A GREAT SONG THAT MY
FRIEND ZOE WROTE AND IT WAS A
GALA FOR THE WOMEN'S PROJECT
WHERE I DID A PLAY LAST YEAR.
>> WOW.
WELL, YOU BOTH HAVE GREAT VOICES
AND IF PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR THEM
THEY HAVE TO GO TO TOOTSIE.
SO 0 YOU'RE ONLY HERE FOR A WEEK
AND THEN YOU TAKE TIME OFF
BEFORE IT OPENS NEXT MARCH.
WHAT DO YOU DO IN THAT
INTERVENING TIME?
>> VACATION.
SLEEP.
>> DON'T SING.
>> DON'T SHAVE.
>> WELL, THAT IS GOING TO HAVE
TO CHANGE ONCE YOU GET BACK.
>> FOUR MONTHS TO GROW A BEARD
AND BODY HAIR EVERYWHERE.
>> OK.
>> YOU LAUGHED.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S GREAT TO MEET YOU AND
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SHOW AND
HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE A SUCCESS