Mrs. Doubtfire

The Weidner’s Broadway in Green Bay Series comes to a close this Monday, March 23, with a performance of Mrs. Doubtfire — a musical comedy based on the movie starring Robin Williams.

“People that know the movie are going to be happy with the fact that it stays pretty close and true to the original,” said Chaz Ingraham, who is a member of the ensemble and understudy for Mrs. Doubtfire. “I think people that are unfamiliar with it are weary that it doesn’t hold up, but it definitely does, 1,000%.”

While a few changes had to be made, the story remains the same.

“A lot of the comedy had to be updated and obviously we added music…”

Ingraham said. “But it’s a dad (Daniel) who is a bit of a kid still and right off the bat, a divorce happens… He basically has to figure out a way that he can still be with his kids because he basically loses custody with his kids. He’s got to be able to get a job, get a suitable place to live and prove to the judge that he’s a suitable father.”

When Daniel decides the quickest way to still be a part of his kids’ life is to put on an elaborate disguise and pose as a nanny, Mrs. Doubtfire, chaos ensues with a few important lessons mixed in.

“Through being Mrs. Doubtfire and being Daniel, he kids of takes some of the responsibilities that he wasn’t fulfilling in his role as a dad and he finds a way, through Mrs. Doubtfire, to become a better man, a better dad and a better person. Of course, once he’s outed, that doesn’t go so well, but it does end happily.”

It’s a lesson Ingraham hopes will stick with audiences even after the curtain has closed.

“Just because something ends poorly or maybe not necessarily the way you hoped, that doesn’t mean that it’s the end,” Ingraham said. “There’s a beautiful line in the show between Daniel and Lydia… He says to his daughter, ‘I always pictured what my life would be, and this isn’t that at all.’ And then she says, ‘I guess we’ll have to paint a new picture now.’ And that alone is I think one of the messages of this musical. Just because it feels like the end, that doesn’t mean that it is. There’s always a silver lining.”

The show promises to bring a mix of comedic and serious moments, of which Ingraham said, “You’re going to laugh until you cry and then we’re going to make you cry until you laugh again.”

“I hope that people come and see this show and can take away just a little piece of joy in whatever else is going on in their life, whether it’s divorce or money problems…” Ingraham said. “I just want to be of service to people and bring them a little bit of joy and a little bit of happiness.”

Performing in the show has also brought a bit of happiness to the cast itself, including Ingraham.

“[Mrs. Doubtfire] was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and not many shows deal with something as hard as divorce,” Ingraham said. “I’m a child of divorce and we have a lot of people that are affected by it in our own cast — I think a lot of people in the world are affected by it… I get to shed a light on a little bit of that. A little piece of the human condition that not everything always ends the way you want it, but it can still have a happy ending. And I love getting to do a role that was originated by one of my idols, Robin Williams. It’s one of my absolute dreams to be able just to be a part of this.”

Monday’s performance will be especially meaningful to Ingraham, who is originally from Madison.

“I have been a lifelong Packers fan my entire life, so to be able to be in Titletown and perform a role like this, I’m speechless. Literally speechless,” Ingraham said.