A Naperville native is taking center stage in the national Broadway tour of “Mrs. Doubtfire,” the musical, which has now come close to home.
“It’s been really amazing. I’ve loved touring with “Mrs. Doubtfire,” the musical,” said Emmy Chan. “I think all my castmates are really nice, very caring. I think they’re really amazing and supportive.”
Emmy plays Natalie, the youngest daughter, in the stage show based on the hit movie.
“Being in a national Broadway tour has given her a sense of confidence she didn’t have before,” said her mother, Lindsay Chan.
Marking six months on tour
NCTV17 first talked to 8-year-old Emmy Chan and her parents last summer, prior to leaving for the tour. They’ve been on the road since last August when rehearsals in New York began. Now six months into production, the budding star is back in the area for Chicago’s stop on the tour.
“It’s been really wild being on the road this long,” said her mother, Lindsay Chan. “We love having friends and family visiting her, all of that has been really amazing, supporting us as a family.”
Audience reaction helps energize performance
After more than 100 shows in 16 cities, going on 17, Emmy says what keeps her going is the audiences.
“Their energy and their laughter helps me get through shows when I’m tired,” said Emmy. “And after every show, I’m like ‘Wow, I’m glad I did that show.’”
“I’ll be sitting in the audience, and I’ll hear someone react to a really sweet moment or talk to a family member about her and so it’s fun to be a fly on the wall and continues to remind me just how amazing she is,” said Lindsay Chan.
“It truly is Broadway on tour [with] the expectations of being at a Broadway level show, so [I am] extremely proud,” said Emmy’s father, Brandon Chan.
Education while performing on tour
In addition to performing, Emmy and the other young cast members have three hours of school a day for several days a week. Part of that education includes field trips in each city.
“I think it’s been really fun, really exciting to see new things in every city,” said Emmy. “Traveling a lot has kept it really exciting.”
While home, Emmy has enjoyed being a typical 8-year-old, playing with her friends and brother.
As for her future on Broadway, she said, “I think I’m going to keep on auditioning for stuff and see what happens.”
Emmy’s Mrs. Doubtfire dates and times
The Chicago show runs more than a dozen times from now until March 10 but the child parts are split among two different casts, so the young actors switch off between shows (the adult cast does every show). If you want to see Emmy representing Naperville in “Mrs. Doubtfire,” you can see her at the Nederland Theatre in Chicago, during the following shows:
- Thursday, February 29, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, March, 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, March 3, 1 p.m.
- Tuesday, March 5, 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, March 6, 1 p.m.
- Thursday, March 7, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, March 9, 7:30 p.m.
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