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Friday, January 5, 2007
Who shouldn’t be Kenny Leon’s Maggie?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Please, dear God, do not let Diddy play Brick.”
That’s the first thing we thought when we heard Kenny Leon is planning a new production of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” with an African-American cast.
After all, the Atlanta director is known for putting Sean “Diddy” Combs in the role of Walter Lee Younger in his Broadway revival of “Raisin in the Sun.”
So as speculation begins on who will play the famous Tennessee Williams characters of Brick and Maggie, immortalized on film by Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor, we felt it important to weigh in on who should not be in the cast. In the play, the sexually frustrated Maggie rages at her alcoholic husband, Brick, to screw up his manliness — lest he lose Big Daddy’s plantation.
So hear us out. Then you be the judge.
Maggie the Cat. Oprah Winfrey should definitely not play the impetuous hell-cat created by Barbara Bel Geddes on Broadway. But she could play Big Mama. Four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald has a good chance in the role most recently handed to Ashley Judd on Broadway. Then there are “Dreamgirls” Beyoncé Knowles and Jennifer Hudson, Oscar winner Halle Berry and Sanaa Lathan, another Leon favorite from “Raisin.”
Brick. Ru Paul should not play the part originated by Ben Gazzara — though he could do Maggie. Combs is a no-no, but his white duds would work on Jeffrey Wright (“Angels in America”), Taye Diggs (“Rent”) or the sexy Derek Luke or Anthony Mackie. Could Jamie Foxx do it? Denzel?
Big Mama. Phylicia Rashad should not play Big Mama. Or should she? Her Mama Lena won her a Tony Award for “Raisin,” and after that, she played the 287-year-old Aunt Ester in Leon’s production of August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean.” Anyway, Ruby Dee is just too frail — though Atlanta’s Andrea Frye or Chandra Currelley would be terrific. Or Oprah.
Big Daddy. Gary Coleman should not play Big Daddy. But James Earl Jones might be just right. Or Danny Glover. Or possibly Leon cronies Bill Nunn or Samuel L. Jackson.
YOU DECIDE Who would you pick to play Maggie? A: Audra McDonald. B: Beyoncé Knowles. C: Halle Berry. D: Sanaa Lathan. Who would you pick to play Brick? A: Denzel Washington. B: Jeffrey Wright. C: Jamie Foxx. D: Taye Diggs. Who would you pick to play Big Mama? A: Phylicia Rashad. B: Ruby Dee. C: Oprah Winfrey. D: Lisa Gay Hamilton. Who would you pick to play Big Daddy? A: James Earl Jones. B: Danny Glover. C: Sidney Poitier. D: Samuel L. Jackson.
