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Like the song in "A Chorus Line" says, "Tits and ass won't get you jobs, unless they are yours." Lainie certainly took that to heart, though nature did lend her a generous hand.
This past Wednesday, the LPA Playreaders held their monthly meeting, with an almost on the spot rendering of one of Wendy Wasserstein's early plays, "Isn't This Romantic." As our own Wendy said, it was time for us to explore a woman playwright, and while to many theater folk that means Lillian Hellman, (which it does) Lillian is now no longer the only one out there. Wendy was a strong contender, and now we have Marsha Norman, Suzann Lori-Parks, Anna Deavere Smith, Tina Howe, Rebecca Gilman--we have come a long way, baby!!!!!!!!
And so have I. As Charles said, it was my Ruby Keeler moment, because I was stepping into a role at the last minute. And it seemed to fit me like a glove!!!!!! I am talking about the role of Tasha, Janie Blumberg's very Jewish mom.
What a range I am developing! From sociopathic children to spinster governesses to Jewish moms! Someone give Charles Busch a call--quick!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But first, a digression to the past. Honey, if I owe anyone inspiration for my portrayal of a Jewish mom, it isn't Lainie Kazan or Rennee Taylor.
It is Blanche Miller!!!!!!!!!
Oh, my God, Lenny and Blanche Miller. They lived two houses up from me, back in Highland Park, New Jersey, and especially in those pre-air conditioned summer years, when the windows were open, you could hear Mrs. Miller's voice booming over the street, like she was auditioning for Mamma Rose in "Gypsy!' "Caaaaaaaaaary!" she would call. "Ciiiiiiiiiiiindy!"
"Boooooooooooomer!" One always knew when Mother Blanche was looking for her children.
Both might be described as full figured. Lenny, it seemed, always had a scowl, and a cigar butt hanging out of his mouth. Maybe Blanche drove him to it.
So, when I was called upon to play a Jewish mom, she came first to mind, and it turned out to be one of my triumphs.
But there were other triumphs as well. Like Emily, our Eternal Ingenue, in the ingenue role of Harriet, though one might call her the ingenue with spine. This is, of course, Wendy Wasserstein. And Janie, played by Wendy, could easily come off as annoying, but Wendy brought something to a difficult part, because nothing is really resolved for Janie at the end. When Wendy played it, you were at least left with the possibility that down the road, there might be a resolution in sight. Which is all we could hope for.
Who would imagine Charlie and John playing two sides of the male asshole/douchebag coin???? Like an inverted parody of 'Earnest.' They were so good, if we had done this before an audience, people, women especially, would just want to go up there and smack them silly!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our own Tanisha was a revelation. A tough career babe is nothing for her, but who would imagine she would be inspiring in the role of Russian cab driver, Vladimir??? I am sorry Wendy Wasserstein did not devote more time to him, or use him in another play.
Then there was Steve, professional to the nth degree. To think, I got to have him for a husband--at least for the evening!!!!!! He was a wonderful comic foil, and it makes me think we should team up and do a revival of some 50s situation comedy. Maybe Burns and Allen, where I play Gracie.
The wine flowed, the salsa was heavenly, the chocolate brownies were divine. If we had been doing "Valley Of The Dolls" (which, believe me, if we could get our hands on that screenplay, we would, with me as Neely, darlings!!!) we would have been both stoned and soused. As it was we were about halfway there, anyway. But who would have thought this last minute choice would have turned out to be such a triumph???? You just cannot tell!!!!!!!!!!!
And with summer approaching, what could be next??? "Where The Boys Are?" "Psycho Beach Party?" Only the walls of the Seminar Room hold the answer--and those walls don't talk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unlike me and my girls, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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