From Angela's biography by Martin Gottfried. I was just reading this the other day, concerning the genesis of Bea becoming Vera.
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"If you're (Gene Saks) going to be the director (of Mame)," Jimmy Carr said to him, "you're going to have to be the one who chooses the star."
Saks understood. "They wanted me to take the responsibility for that decision."
When he got home, he talked through the situation with his wife, the actress Bea Arthur. She was herself a proven musical actress; at the time she was playing Yenta the matchmaker in "Fiddler On the Roof." It was not the leading role, but it was a juicy one with lots of funny dialogue, and she was getting a great deal of attention in it. She'd been getting even more attention when "Fiddler" was trying out in Detroit. Bea Arthur was an assertive performer would could easily take the stage away from anyone who wasn't looking. It was for that reason that the director, Jerome Robbins, cut back Yenta's part. "Look," he said to her, "it's not a play about this matchmaker."
And so when her husband pondered the decision that he had to make about "Mame," naturally she asked, "Why can't I do it?"
Why not, he thought. She did have a marvelously dry, comic style and a Rosalind Russell-like baritone, perfect for zinging off barbed remarks. When he suggested her to Carr, it was accepted as a possibility. As the associate producer, John Bowab, said, "If you were re-creating the acerbic image of Rosalind Russell, wouldn't Bea be a likely choice?"
But Saks still had not seen what Angela could do, and so he asked for another audition - her third. She had no choice but to come in yet one more time, and this time Saks wanted line readings as well as songs. When she was finished, Jerry Herman caught her eye and pleaded and begged for patience. She flashed Carr, Fryer, Bowab and Saks her best bull**** smile. She was furious.
The next morning, she telephoned Carr from her room at the Plaza Hotel.
"Look, she said, "this has been going on for a long time. Right. But this is it. I am going back to California and unless you tell me" - she paused, struggling to contain herself - "I mean, let's face it, I have" - her voice nearly broke - "prostrated myself. Now - yes or no - that's the end of it. I want an answer. I must know before I leave New York because I'm not coming back again!"
There was silence at the other end. Carr asked her to give him just a little time - a half hour. He called Saks and said it seemed to him that while nobody was all out for Angela "with banners flying," she came closer to general approval than anyone else. Gene gave his best pitch for Bea, pointing out that she was "a wonderful actress, a terrific comedienne, and a good singer."
It did seem that, if they were interested in re-creating the Auntie Mame of Rosalind Russell, Bea Arthur would be the likelier choice, but as John Bowab said, "Who wants to re-create the Rosalind Russell performance?" Saks agreed with that, too, and so when he hung up the telephone he turned to his wife and said, "You have got to play Vera."
There was a pause. Like Angela, Bea Arthur was frustrated by a career spent playing secondary roles. As she put it, "What can I say? I wanted to play Mame. And I was married to the director." She considered the part of Vera, and thought, "We're not worried about money. Why the hell should I play Vera? Why go into something if I'm not going to come out for the star's curtain call?"
Watching her go through all of this, Gene repeated, "You've just GOT to, honey," and she shot him her best glare. While she mulled it over, he pointed out that 'Half a Sixpence' was only his first musical. Were this show to prove a second hit for him, he would be established as a director of musicals. Rather than Bea fighting for the lead, if she took the featured role there would be two good actresses in the show, and that would be in their family interest - if more in his interest than hers. It was not easy for Bea, but she finally agreed.
Soon after her casting was announced, she started telling people, "You know, the real name of the show is 'Vera.' the only reason they changed the name was because Jerry couldn't think of a rhyme for it." After a pause she would add, "Steve Sondheim could have."
She was perfect for Vera.
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She will be sorely missed.
2010
Feb. 28 - Looped, Feb. 28 - Next to Normal, March 4 - Hair, March 11 - A Little Night Music, March 24 - Time Stands Still, April 6 - La Cage Aux Folles, April 10 - Anyone Can Whistle (City Center), April 10 - Looped, May 9 - Enron, May 15 - A Little Night Music, May 15 - A Behanding In Spokane, May 30 - A Behanding In Spokane, May 30 - A Little Night Music, June 20 - A Little Night Music, June 23 - Red, June 23 - Sondheim on Sondheim, July 13 - A Little Night Music, July 18 - The Grand Manner (Lincoln Center)
