Rehearsals are well underway as the supremely talented cast of Tootsie, the smash-hit Broadway musical, prepare for the Australian Premiere at Teatro at the Italian Forum later this month. Wigs and sequins have been donned in preparation to bring this nostalgic classic to the stage at Sydney’s newest exciting venue.
Based on the beloved Oscar-winning hit film starring Dustin Hoffman, the Tony Award® winner for Best Book of a Musical promises’ laughs, heart, and a generous dose of nostalgia. Leading the cast in the dual role of Michael Dorsey and his alter ego Dorothy Michaels, made famous on screen by two time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman, is Andrew Bevis (The Lord of the Rings, The Rocky Horror Show).
The role of Julie Nichols will be played by Sydney Theatre Award winner Elenoa Rokobaro (Hadestown), while Alana Tranter (Beauty and the Beast) plays Sandy Lester. Brendan Irving (The Rocky Horror Show) plays Max Von Horn, Tyran Stig (Titanique) plays Jeff Slater, Donna Lee (Hairspray) is Rita Marshall, Chris Huntley-Turner (Friends: The Parody Musical) is Stan Fields, and Lachlan O’Brien (The Phantom of the Opera) plays Ron Carlisle.
The ensemble features Sam Austin, Lisa Callingham, Katie Green, Arthur Lees (swing), Maximillian Macdonald, Jessica Parris, Jamie Reisin, Julian Seguna, and Nicole Vella.
Described by The New York Post as “Broadway’s funniest new musical” and praised by Rolling Stone as “musical comedy heaven”, Tootsie is the laugh-out-loud story of a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one bold, show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime.
Tootsie received 11 Tony Award nominations for its Broadway production, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. With music and lyrics by Tony Award and Grammy Award winner David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and a book by Tony Award winner Robert Horn (13 The Musical, Shucked), Tootsie has had audiences rolling in the aisles.
This all-new production of Tootsie is directed and choreographed by award-winning director and choreographer Cameron Mitchell (Putting It Together, Sweet Charity) with co- musical direction by Kevin Wang and Nicholas Till (Putting it Together) and costume design by Angela White. Fast-paced and outrageously funny, Tootsie explores identity, ambition, and ego, all while keeping the laughs coming.
Tootsie
Teatro at the Italian Forum, Norton Street, Leichhardt
Season: 26 May – 21 June 2026
Bookings: www.ticketmaster.com.au
For more information, visit: www.teatroitalianforum.com.au for details.
Images: Andrew Bevis as Michael Dorsey and Andrew Bevis as Dorothy Michaels – photo by Robert Miniter | The Cast of Tootsie – photo by Robert Miniter