The Next Martha? — Page 3

Plummer would have been an amazing Honey a few years ago.

The idea of her as Martha just flat out scares me.

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OK, why do I keep thinking of Marcia Gay Harden as Martha? She might not be ideal, but there's a raw intensity to her (and a vulnerability) that just might work.

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I've LOVED her since "Angels in America" and would love to see her come back to Broadway in such a juicy, formidable role.

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LuPone is ideal. She did a marvelous job as Callas in "Master Class" and has all of the right qualities, I think, for Martha. She's unfortunately alienated all sort of people (not sure whether Albee's one of them) which is why she's rarely seen on the Broadway stage anymore.

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I remember hearing that LuPone was one of many actresses considered for the role at one point or another; a list that included many who have already been mentioned (Ruehl, Lahti, Jessica Lange, Christine Baranski, Sally Field, etc.) She would be simply perfect. She can be wonderfully vicious onstage, as proven in "The Old Neighborhood". I remember that she had some attendance problems during "Noises Off", which might have alienated some producers, plus her reputation of being demanding and hard to work with. In a perfect world, though...

I can actually hear LuPone in my head blurting some of the things Martha says to random people.

Person: Hi, Patti. How's it going?
Patti: You make me puke.

Just kidding, of course. Patti is my Goddess.

I think I would trample over people to see Stockard as the next Martha. The Marcia Gay Harden idea is intriguing. Speaking of psycho, has Cybill Shepherd ever been on stage?

I wish I had more to contribute here, but my mind is drawing a blank.

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While some of the aforementioned women are intriguing choices, I have to say that I agree with broadway86. Mercedes Ruehl and Stockard Channing not only look the part of Martha, but I think that they both have a great ease and intensity on stage. And I'm sure that Mercedes (who we know worked w/ Albee on "The Goat" and also played Martha at the Guthrie not too long ago) was hurt when Albee awarded the part to Turner last June. I have a feeling that she was really dying to be the first Martha back on Broadway. However, there is a small section in Show People magazine that has Albee commenting on previous Martha's and he said that when he saw Ruehl's performance of Martha she seemed a bit timid. He went on to say that he thinks she would be a great Martha in "a few years." I wonder if Albee will have as much a say in who (if anyone) takes over the part as he did in who initiated the part.

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Margo, you're a genius! I love it!

BTW, what did you think of "The Pillowman"? I'm dying to know.

I think Carol Burnett would be amazing in the role.

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Yeah, Martha's supposed to be late 40s, maybe 50. Burnett's 70-something. Remember it's George and Martha's "child's" 21st birthday as the play opens.

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Way too young. I don't think she has even hit 40 yet.