Funny, engaging, endearing and, unexpectedly touching, Mrs. Doubtfire has finally made its way to Austin.
Nearly seven years after the stage production first premiered in Seattle in 2019, the musical has arrived at Bass Concert Hall as part of the Broadway in Austin season. It was definitely worth the journey.
Turning a beloved film into a Broadway musical is no simple feat. Audiences arrive knowing the characters, the story and often, entire scenes by heart. Change too much and you lose what people loved. Reproduce the movie too literally, and there is little reason for the stage adaptation to exist.
Mrs. Doubtfire manages that balancing act beautifully.
The musical remains remarkably true to the spirit, characters, and central plot of the 1993 Robin Williams film while taking advantage of what live theater can do differently. Music, choreography, comic timing, and some wonderfully inventive staging transform the familiar story into something that belongs onstage rather than feeling like a movie transplanted there.
At its center is Craig Allen Smith as Daniel Hillard and his formidable alter ego, Mrs. Doubtfire. Smith deserves a standing ovation all his own. Playing Daniel would be demanding enough. While repeatedly transforming into Mrs. Doubtfire, singing, dancing, delivering rapid-fire dialogue, and navigating a succession of costume changes at a rapid pace is another matter entirely. Smith handles the physical comedy with seemingly effortless timing, but the performance works because he never allows the spectacle of Mrs. Doubtfire to overwhelm the character of Daniel. The illusion is part of the fun, but it also demonstrates just how technically demanding the role is.
Underneath the wigs, prosthetics, and Scottish brogue is a father desperate to remain part of his children’s lives. That emotional thread gives the comedy its heart. The strength of the production extends throughout the national touring cast. Melissa Campbell brings dimension to Miranda Hillard, avoiding the easy trap of making Daniel’s estranged wife simply the obstacle standing between him and his children. She is a woman trying to rebuild a household after a marriage has stopped working, and the musical gives her point of view agency.
The children are equally important. Lydia, Christopher, and Natalie are not merely adorable Broadway accessories placed around the adults. Each has a distinct personality and relationship with both parents, which matters because the entire story depends upon believing that this is a family worth fighting for.
One of the production’s greatest accomplishments is that the creators developed all of its central characters enough for the audience to understand why they behave as they do, even when they make a spectacular mess of things.
And Daniel certainly makes a mess.
His creation of Mrs. Doubtfire remains one of the great comic acts of desperation. The conceit is absurd, of course. A divorced dad pretends to be an old Scottish nanny to be close to his kids. Yet within minutes the audience accepts the improbable arrangement and happily follows him into increasingly complicated territory.
The national touring company excels in every aspect. The singing is strong, the ensemble work is energetic, the spoken dialogue is sharp and the production moves briskly without sacrificing the quieter moments. The elaborate costume changes deserve special mention, particularly those surrounding Daniel’s transformations, because they become part of the comedy themselves.
What could easily have become a two and a half hour impersonation of a famous movie instead becomes its own theatrical experience.
There is nostalgia here. Anyone who loved Robin Williams in the original film will recognize the story’s DNA immediately. But the musical works because the underlying story still resonates. Families change. Marriages end. Parents make mistakes. Children get caught between adults trying to figure out what comes next.
And sometimes love survives in a distinct form than the one everyone expected.That gives Mrs. Doubtfire something more substantial beneath all the wigs, voices, dancing, and comic chaos.
Austin may have had to wait a long time for Mrs. Doubtfire to arrive, but she has finally swept into Bass Concert Hall, sensible shoes and all.
We’re glad she made the trip.
Mrs. Doubtfire plays at Bass Concert Hall in Austin from September 22 through September 27, 2026. The production runs approximately two hours and 30 minutes, including intermission. For performance times, tickets, and additional information, visit https://texasperformingarts.org/event/mrs-doubtfire-broadway-austin-2026/?utm_source=chatgpt.com