The Next Martha?

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 4:02pm

In his column yesterday, Riedel said that Christine Lahti ("Jack and Bobby", "Chicago Hope") and Mercedes Ruehl ("Lost in Yonkers", "The Fisher King") had both expressed interest in succeeding Kathleen Turner as Martha when her contract expires next year. Whether this is true or not, I don't know. My question is: who do you think would be the best choice for the next Martha?

I'd love to see Patti LuPone do it.

[broadway86]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 4:07pm

My vote goes to Ruehl. I would also love to see Stockard Channing do it.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 4:08pm

Ruehl would be great. I'm not really seeing Lahti in the role. Stockard would probably be excellent, too.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 4:10pm

To be honest, I'm not sure this production is really going to run without Turner. She seems to be the chief draw, particularly after her rave reviews. I can't imagine audiences clamoring for tickets to the show with Christine Lahti or Mercedes Ruhl, though I could be wrong.

Stockard Channing would be my choice. Or even Kathy Bates. She might be fascinating.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 4:13pm

I think you are probably right, Bennett. This is a brilliant production (I've seen it twice already), but I think that most people are coming for Turner. It was the same way with "The Graduate": when she left, the box office nosedived. The production is making money, though; the producers expect to recoup by summer. If it's making money, they'll keep it open as long as they can.

BTW, I'd be very interested to see Kathy Bates' interpretation.

[TheBoyfromChi]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:05pm

I would love to see Stockard in it...Kathy Bates would be interesting.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:08pm

I would love to see Swoosie Kurtz and/of Sally Field.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:09pm

bebe neuwerth- i think she'd be great

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:09pm

Both good choices. My mouth would water at the thought of a Sally Field/Bill Irwin reunion.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:16pm

Sally Field woulld be fascinating too.

I'm not a Newuwirth fan, so maybe I'm biased, but she seems too cold/sophisticated for Martha. Martha is in someways the earth mother from hell, which is why Turner works so well and why Bates and Fields could be great.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:18pm

I bet Kate Burton would act the hell out of Martha, but she's probably not a big enough name for the producers.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:19pm

Love the Bates idea.

Also:
Glenn Close
Stockard
Baranski
Tovah Felshuh (too old?)

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:23pm

Tovah is only two years older than Kathleen.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:24pm

Yeah I have to say, though it was totally off the top of my head -- I really do like the idea of Bates as Martha. If not that -- won't she please come back and do SOMETHING on stage!

It disturbs me when I read about some of our great actors, like Joan Allen, who says she doesn't want to ever do theatre again.

I certainly hope that isn't the case with Kathy Bates.

Tyne Daly would have been a fascinating Martha as well, though she might be a little past it now.
Updated On: 4/7/05 at 05:24 PM

[robbiej]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:24pm

Too old? She'd scratch your eyes out if she read that!

I think field carries a little too much 'good girl' baggage. It might be hard for an audience to accept her as a vulgarian.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:25pm

Audiences bought Liz Taylor in the role at a time when her career had been the antithesis of the character...


Tovah would probably be great, but she has the worst reputation for being difficult -- Nobody wants to work with her, which is one reason why she does so many one person shows. Updated On: 4/7/05 at 05:25 PM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:26pm

Did you see Field in THE GOAT? Any "good girl" image went out the window for me after that.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:30pm

Elizabeth Ashley

[robbiej]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:34pm

Although I never saw her in THE GOAT, I saw THE GOAT. I can't imagine how one can compare the woman's role in THE GOAT with Martha. Sally Fields was perfectly cast as the WASP wife whose existence crumbles around her and is forced to do and say horrible things. I felt Ruehl, a truly sensual earth mother, was actually miscast in the role.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:34pm

Elizabeth Ashley would have been a superb Martha -- but she's 67 - thats too old.

[LouieLovesTheater]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:35pm

Ruehl was a nice, solid Martha at The Guthrie a few seasons back opposite Patrick Stewart. That production was rumored to be heading to BW so I'm not shocked Mercedes is trying to get to NYC to finally do the role there.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:38pm

Michael Bennett- Elizabeth Ashley hardly looks her age. She is one of the greatest stage actors around, and I imagine she can play younger. Besides-do they specifically refer to her age? I can't remember. If I remember correctly she did the role in Florida.
Updated On: 4/7/05 at 05:38 PM

[Jwei123]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:41pm

I'd love to see MANY women in this character, but I'm lovin' the Kathy Bates idea!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:43pm

Christine Lahti? Ick, I hope that doesn't happen. She's too bread and butter.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 5:44pm

They do make reference to her age -- somebody more familiar with the text can probably give specifics, but I think its pretty clear she's actually in her late 40s.

Ashley did the role at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Florida a number of years ago. She was probably too old then, too, but as you say, she is an extraordinary actress so it probably didn't matter. Especially because the average age of the patrons of that theatre is 89.