Seven year-old Emmy Chan from Naperville will be traveling the country, as she stars in the national Broadway tour of “Mrs. Doubtfire, The Musical,” as the title character’s youngest daughter.
“I’m playing the role of Natalie and when I play Natalie, I’m going to be doing a lot of singing and dancing,” said Emmy.
Getting the part
The third-grader submitted a casting video for the roll and was called for an in-person audition in New York City early this year. A month later, she got the news of her being cast.
“I was like, ‘What? Is this really happening?'” Emmy said.
“She’s just an infection personality to be around and I think her personality shown through in the audition and made a connection with the casting agency,” said Emmy’s father, Brandon Chan. “I think it’s a really good fit for the role she’ll be playing here,”
“It’s one of those things you think will never happen or you have kids with really big dreams so you have to spend a lot of time grounding them, which we have,” said her mother, Lindsay Chan. “However, now that, that it’s really happening, I think some days it feels real and some days our lives are really busy you kind of forget that it’s happening.”
Emmy started acting in community theatre locally, with Roadshow, Inc. last year. She then got her first professional gig performing as Gretl Von Trapp in “The Sound of Music” at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora last November.
“A year ago when she first did this, I didn’t realize it would take off and go in the track that it has but I’m super proud of her and excited to see her journey whether she wants to grow this as a career or not,” said Brandon.
Emmy Chan is back in the “Big Apple”
Emmy left home mid-August, returning to New York City, where she’s rehearsing with the rest of the “Mrs. Doubtfire” cast at 42nd Street Studios, where many famous musical’s had their rehearsals. After several weeks, the show will kick off in Buffalo, New York before moving to more than 30 other cities throughout the U.S. over the course of a year.
“I’m feeling a little bit nervous and excited leaving home for awhile,” said Emmy.
But her parents will be alternating frequent visits along the way.
“Every once in awhile I get to see my brother and my family,” Emmy said.
“I’ll be taking a sabbatical and working a lot less and then Brandon and Emmy’s little brother Eli will visit us whenever we can,” said Lindsay. “We’ll be shifting our family life and normal schedule to make it work but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so we have to at least give it a shot.”
During the one-year tour, a teacher will be with Emmy and the other child actors, who will all have three hours of school a day for at least four days a week, in addition to the performances.
“I’m really excited to meet new people and see new places and do more acting,” Emmy said.
When does it come to Chicago?
The national tour of Mrs. Doubtfire begins on September 26 but local residents can catch Emmy Chan’s performance alongside the “hip old granny who can hip-hop, bebop, dance til ya drop” when the show comes to Chicago, starting February 27 through March 10 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre.
Have a story idea? We’d like to hear from you!
