Longing for a revival of Mame

[wickedfan]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 8:00pm

Okay, so there was one in the 80's, for like a month! And I personally think Mame should have a revival. It has been discussed (Bebe Neuwirth as Vera, Christine Baranski as Mame, and Faith Prince as Gooch). I for one think that Christine Baranski would be an amazing Vera! And Christine Ebersole should play Mame. As for Gooch, Faith Prince is okay, but I think they can do better than that. I truly want this show back. I'd prefer it to La Cage (which I intend to see, but have a grudge against it due to the unfair winnings against Sunday in the Park with George). Thoughts?

[Ruth Sherwood]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 8:37pm

I too would love to see "Mame" revived! However, I think that Bette Midler or Donna Murphy are the only people who could play Mame. I think that Harriet Harris would make a wonderful Vera. I don't know about Faith Prince as Gooch.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 8:45pm

Now you folks don't really understand the humor of Mame Dennis. She is a sophisticated lady and the more sophisticated she is, the funnier she becomes. Some of the best Mames have been British: Angela Lansbury, Bea Lillie, Greer Garson, etc. My vote for Mame would be either Diana Rigg or Joan Collins. Christine Baranski would be marvelous as Vera and Cheno would steal the show as Gooch.

[DAME]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 8:47pm

Mame is now licensed to be a Movie of the week for NBC starring "Cher". It will not go into production untill her farewell tour is officially over. They are now saying 2006. They are using Jerry Hermans music; but for the text; they are using the far superior Auntie Mame script.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 8:53pm

Cher just might pull this off. She'll sing the hell out of "If He Walked Into My Life", that's for sure!

Actually, MAME had a very good book. The authors, Lawrence and Lee, wrote the non-musical version as well.

Question: Will Gooch and Norah Muldoon be the same character?

[Glebb]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 8:56pm

Love your casting Dollypop!

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 8:59pm

CHER AS MAME???

What's next, Meg Ryan in a musical version of GONE WITH THE WIND?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:01pm

Cher as Mame is excellent casting. And the only reason this is getting made at all is because SHE wants to do it. I saw her talking about it on Oprah.

[Glebb]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:01pm

LOL Mary Ethel!
I think I love you!
(I promise I am not a stalker.) :)

[Ruth Sherwood]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:07pm

While some of the best Mames may have been English, that does not mean it is a must. Donna Murphy would be a fabulous Mame. If you saw her in "Wonderful Town," then you will recall the character of "Tracy" from the vignettes. In that one vignette, Donna shows that she can have that "life is a banquet" attitude. She also has the comic timing needed for Mame Dennis. As for being sophisticated, all you have to do is look at Donna Murphy in an interview, and she is sophisticated. An actress as phenomenal as Donna Murphy could easily bring that to the character. If you think about the 11 o' clock number, "If He Walked Into My Life," then you realize that Mame also has to have a warmth, and a softness about her. Which Donna also showed throughout "Wonderful Town." Donna Murphy has shown that she is a versatile actress, and frankly, I think she could play anything, except possibly the blonde ditzes that Kristin Chenoweth plays.

I disagree about Chenoweth as Gooch. K.C. has played the same roles over and over again. From Sally in "Charlie Brown" to Glinda in "Wicked" they are all the same. Gooch is not a ditz. She is naive but not a blonde.

The one thing I do agree with you on is Christine Baranski as Vera.

[AnothaPartofMe]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:09pm

I, too, agree that Donna Murphy would be a good Mame... the problem is, getting her to do more than the first week of the show...

[gherbert]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:13pm

Daisy Gamble is not a ditz and neither is her counterpart, Melinda. And Eve, Princess Barabara, and Passionella are not ditzes! Chenoweth is a most versatile actress with a particular style, but every performer has that. No one ever complains that Angela Lansbury has a similar tone to her characters, though they range from Cora Hoover Hooper to Mame to Mrs. Lovett. And I suspect Ms. Chenoweth will do the same. I believe she is a wonderful performer, singer, actress, and comidienne. And I do think she would be a very good Gooch.

[Ruth Sherwood]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:14pm

I do not want to turn this into an argument over Donna Murphy's attendence in "Wonderful Town." I just wanted to say that a show like "Mame," while more vocally challenging, does not require Mame to do anything like "Conga!" While the role does require energy, there is not climbing a fence in heels, and then falling into the arms of the fleet. It may be easier for Donna Murphy to handle 8 times a week.

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:20pm

Yeah the character of Mame, even played by Roz Russell always reminded me of a man in drag so CHER is perfectly cast in the part!

And by the way how could the play be far superior to the musical's book? It's practically the SAME story written by the SAME AUTHORS.

[Ruth Sherwood]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:21pm

Just because K.C. played the part, does not mean she played it well. I understand that some performers have a similar tone to their characters, but when they play them exactly the same way, I must begin to doubt their versatility. Versatile is going from Fosca to Anna Leonowens to Ruth Sherwood. Donna Murphy changes EVERYTHING about herself. From the way she sounds to the way she moves. Not all actresses can be that gifted, but they must change from one part to the next.

Updated On: 10/6/04 at 09:21 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:21pm

HUSSYS! Stay on subject Please! Leave this bickering to the off topic board and stick to generic musical bantering. Don't make me bitch slap you all.

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:25pm

Thoughts on Marissa Janet Winokur as Gooch??? I think it'd be classic...and Donna Murphy as Mame

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:25pm

Personally I think that Bette should play Mame with either Christine Beranski(sp), Stockard Channing, Bebe Neuwirth or Cher as her Vera.

I also think Bette needs to do a Hello Dolly revival. Does anyone think Kevin Spacey would make a good Horace? Just a wild shot in the dark on some stunt casting.

[Glebb]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:44pm

I like the Bette/Dolly idea.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:50pm

Do you know that to keep HELLO, DOLLY! running, at one point David Merrick considered casting Jack Benny (in drag) as Dolly Levi?

Thank God that never happened.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 9:51pm

I don't like Donna Murphy as Mame. I just don't see it. I could be wrong, but I don't think the two mix. K.C. I could TOTALLY see as Gooch. And Ruth Sherwood, Kristin Chenweth does NOT have the same tone to all of her performances. Kristin Chenoweth played Mariann in Music Man. NOw as much as the movie was painful to watch, She was fine, though could not touch Shirley Jones (who can?) she was good. Did she play that as a ditz? In case that wasn't clear it was rhetorical. Gooch is not a ditz, she's a religous nerd. And Kristin would be great for this role. And when they "sexify" her, it could be a great scene.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 10:08pm

Kristen Chenoworth did NOT play Marian in THE MUSIC MAN.

She sleep-walked through the part.

Her energy level couldn't have lit a 40 watt bulb.

[Luvinbroadway]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 10:15pm

How about Patti Lupone as Mame? I know it would sound GREAT! Not sure about the character though....Any thoughts?

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 10:21pm

If Patti could do Vera Simpson in PAL JOEY (and she did), then I think MAME would be child's play for her.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 10/6/04 at 10:31pm

Read the play and then the book of the musical and there is no comparison, even if they were written by the same authors. The book of the musical is simplified to allow time for songs , and by doing so the book is less than stellar. The play, on the other hand, is great.