‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Joins a List of ’90s Movies Transformed Into Broadway Musicals

By Ramin Setoodeh

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Mrs. Doubtfire,” one of Robin Williams’ most successful comedies, is headed to Broadway. Last week, Variety learned there will be a stage musical based on the 1993 movie about a cross-dressing dad who poses as a nanny to spend time with his kids after a difficult divorce. Will the adaptation be a hit? Here’s a look at some other ’90s favorites that migrated to Broadway — with mixed (but mostly successful) results. 

The Bridges of Madison County 

Movie opened: 1995; Broadway debut: 2014; $6.7m Broadway box office; 4 Tony nominations; 137 performances

The film starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood grossed $182 million. But onstage, not even Kelli O’Hara could save this musical saga of a housewife’s affair with a magazine photographer from becoming a bomb.

The Lion King

Movie opened: 1994; Broadway debut: 1997; $1.6b Broadway box office; 11 Tony nominations; 9,164+ performances

Julie Taymor’s dramatic reimagining of Simba’s story — with the jungle animals coming alive in the form of human puppets — is the most successful Broadway show in history.

Newsies

Movie opened: 1992; Broadway debut: 2012; $109m Broadway box office; 8 Tony nominations; 1,020 performances

The musical of the sleeper live-action Disney movie about singing paperboys at the turn of the 20th century became a surprise smash onstage. 

Pretty Woman

Movie opened: 1990; Broadway debut: 2018; $51.1m Broadway box office; 0 Tony nominations; 447 performances

This production closed after only one year, proving that you should stick with the Julia Roberts movie. 

Sister Act

Movie opened: 1992; Broadway debut: 2011; $52.m Broadway box office; 5 Tony nominations; 589 performances

The musical received strong reviews, but it never surpassed the movie,  which starred Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer who enters the witness protection program as a nun.