Musings on casting MAME — Page 2

Why hasn't anyone suggested Jennifer Simard as Vera?



Answers, please!

I haven't seen Cate Blanchett really pull off comedy either. She did that film a couple years ago - Where'd You Go Bernadette? - and she just couldn't pull it off. She is too cool, too serious.

Loretta Swit

Excerpts from Baranski's MAME can be found on YouTube bu I can't get it to post.

David10086 said: "After her rave reviews last year when she surprised everyone in CHICAGO, I’m thinking Pamela Anderson could headline a revival of this. Even a limited engagement."

Dear god, no!

Owen22 said: "I have said this before in the many MAME casting threads on this board. MAME is a very difficult role as she has to be almost superficially pretentious as well as being extremely warm at the same time. Part of that is a natural talent, some actresses, no matter how good, cannot muster this quality. Most actresses can't. She also has to sing really, really well. She also should be white as there is a theme toward the end dealing with racial prejudice (and colorblind casting is always wonderful except when the show deals with race as it can get confusing and overshadows the progressive politics of said show).

Hannah Waddingham and Toni Collette might have these qualities (Hannah can definitely belt out a tune), but I have always said the only American singing actress of the moment who definitely possesses everything needed for Mame is Jane Krakowski. She also deserves a lead at this point in her career.

And yes. Jennifer Simard as Vera."



Many years ago I directed AUNTIE MAME, the original non-musical version of the show. The "racial prejudice" element was actally a reference to a home for unwed mothers which was changed for the.musical. There's no reason why that dialogue can't be revised one way or another for a new production.

Dollypop said: "Many years ago I directed AUNTIE MAME, the original non-musical version of the show. The "racial prejudice" element was actally a reference to a home for unwed mothers which was changed for the.musical. There's no reason why that dialogue can't be revised one way or another for a new production."

That's just one small element. There's also the whole "south will rise again" mentality of the title song (and, in general, depicting white folks living on a plantation in Georgia -- families who probably owned slaves not that long before the setting of the show), the portrayal of Ito, and probably various other issues to be identified upon a close reading. The book also plods along, especially in the second act, so probably needs some trimming as well (there is no reason why we need Pegeen Ryan).

Updated On: 1/15/23 at 06:52 PM

Dollypop said: "JSquared2 said: "Loretta Swit"

What an inspired idea!!!! LaSwit's unique blend of skill and magic would work wonders in the role. After reading the reviews, I can visualize people lining up outside the box office for minutes at a time with tickets already in hand!

Maybe Beanie could be coaxed to play Vera in this production?"

Beanie would probably be an excellent Gooch actually.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "David10086 said: "After her rave reviews last year when she surprised everyone in CHICAGO, I’m thinking Pamela Anderson could headline a revival of this. Even a limited engagement."

Dear god, no!"

That’s what they said before she took the stage in CHICAGO.

What was so disastrous about Christine Baranski? She seems like such a great choice?

JBradshaw said: "I’ve only seen mame once. Andrea McArdle was Mame and Lea Delaria was Vera.
one of the worst shows I’ve ever seen made me eh re mame. Is it a good show with the right people?"

Response to last 2 posts:

Re ‘is it good’, I can only tell you that Mame with Angela Lansbury still rates as my favorite single night in the theatre in 58 years. Great leading role plus three additional excellent roles (young Patrick won a Tony), old fashioned brassy overture (IMO up there with the best, just below Gypsy), very enjoyable score, opportunities for great choreography, very funny, emotionally engaging. It didn’t think it was slow for a second, re a previous response. Would have run a lot longer if the producer was David Merrick: the immediate two replacements for Mame were both mediocre. I am not saying it is the greatest musical, but with the right director and choreographer, the right Mae and Vera, I believe it could be a hit.

Re Baranski, the only area in which we excelled was at n wearing the costumes. She can sing more than satisfactorily (she was IMO excellent as Mrs. Lovett I the Kennedy Center Sweeney Tood), but she couldn’t project the warmth that was needed, her dancing was mediocre (and Mame, at least in the original production dances a lot) and she just seemed too old for the role to me. I was very relieved when they elected not to bring it to NYC because I knew it would flop (Harriet Harris was a terrible Vera as well). Even the sets were ugly.