Some Like It Hot is a classic crime comedy film starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. The 1959 film is based on the 1935 French film Fanfare of Love, with the premise of two musicians disguising themselves as women to escape Chicago mobsters after witnessing a murder. Fast forward to 2023, and the Broadway musical based on the film won four Tony Awards.

I was able to catch the Hollywood Pantages showing, with the tour cast including Matt Loehr as Joe/Josephine, Tavis Kordell as Jerry/Daphne, and Leandra Ellis-Gaston as Sugar. Some Like It Hot is a funny and sweet musical thanks to the cast and writing, and the different sets were captivating as the characters travel from Chicago to San Diego.

Loehr, as Joe, is fun to watch as he tries to come up with plans on the spot while hiding in plain sight as Josephine. Fans of Mrs. Doubtfire will get a kick out of the musical. One of the hilarious highlights is the running gag of people commenting on how Joe, as Josephine, looks older. Joe and Jerry successfully disguise themselves as women and join an all-female band as they travel to the West Coast.

The heart of the duo is Kordell’s Jerry/Daphne, Joe’s brother and someone who is always following his plan. However, Joe is slowly becoming more accepting of being Daphne. There’s a sequence where Daphne is performing flamenco, and it was fiery and passionate. Ellis-Gaston, as Sugar, shines with her vocals as the singer of the all-female band. She befriends Joe and Jerry as Josephine and Daphne, and the two compete to win her affection.

As a musical set during the prohibition era, the big band swing style is used with a lot of cheerful and lighthearted song and dance numbers. The songs are really fun and exciting, but don’t expect to leave the theater humming the music. Overall, it captures the era, and on repeat listening, it did make me want to go swing dancing. The dancing choreography really captures the energetic spirit of big band swing, and there’s a reason why it won for Best Choreography at the Tony Awards.

Some Like It Hot is a fun time at the live theater thanks to the performers, dancing, and music. There’s a good message in the musical, and the concept was executed in an entertaining way.