InTootsieon Broadway, the actor sweats the details.
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Hes copied mannerisms from his mom, his wife, and his grandmother.
Thats something Dorothy would do.
But in the midst of it all, Fontana has to play a guy whos playing a woman believably.
There are the technical aspects.
Its not drag, Fontana says.
Hes trying to fool people in a way that doesnt draw attention to himself.
It shouldnt be showy, it should convince.
Were eating at a small restaurant in Bushwick.
Fontana orders an adventurous lunch jalapeno deviled eggs and beef stew and a sensible drink seltzer instead of alcohol.
(Hes midway through his first few Broadway performances, gotta protect that voice.)
If the show works, and if Fontana does his job, maybe all that wont matter.
Its really no different than playing any other character, he insists.
He pauses, reconsiders slightly.
The musical includes references to the #MeToo era and the gender pay gap.
The fact that we underline how terrible it is and continue to highlight that …
I could imagine a different creative team not doing that.
Michael needs to get the punishment he deserves, but it still has to be a comedy.
Youre not supposed to hate the guy by the end of it.
Hes got to fight to attempt to make it right, whether he does or not, Fontana says.
Were playing with how much trouble he causes, how much comeuppance he gets.
Fontana promises hes never been so desperate as to make a choice like Michael does inTootsie.
But he can relate to the sense of desperation that comes with being an actor.
It was a tough decision he attributes to a number of intersecting causes.
He couldnt justify uprooting his life for it.
And he was like, I dont know either.
Lets just do the first one, well talk.
Fontana agreed to do a reading and bonded with the rest of the creative team in the process.
Even if it ends up terribly, we gotta see it through.
He did several more readings.
He did the out-of-town try-out in Chicago last summer, which he compared to summer camp.
Now, hes here on Broadway.
The show hangs on him, after all.
Youre going to be an asshole and the best person in the room.
Youre going to sing as a man, youre going to sing as a woman.
Youre going to have quick changes in ten seconds.
Its all of the challenges.
Hes smiling like this isnt a minefield, but an obstacle course.
Awesome, bring it on!
Styling by Diana Tsui.
