I think Kelly Bishop would be great but is she really that big of a draw for the general public. Speaking of Berthe, has the role been cast for the tour yet? I distinctly remember the had cast everything EXCEPT Berthe. Any news?
That's true. I just don't know how many people would know her by name. Maybe if they had ads that said "Starring Kelly Bishop from TV's Gilmore Girls" or something of that extent.
You can't go too poignant, though... the revival's staging of "No Time at All" and portrayal of Berthe is something of a meta-reference to the original production. When Irene Ryan played a sixty-six-year-old "Granny" as a feisty but elderly old lady, she was representing the facts of aging and the view of seniors at her time. By casting actresses of the same age, but with youthful, energetic and athletic lifestyles, it's hard to see the staging of the number as anything but a commentary on "look how far we've come, and how much standards of living have improved in forty years!"
Debbie Harry would be a good Berthe- she's remained in great shape and is age-appropriate now.
I think Andrea Martin was pretty poignant in the role-as I said, there was a balance between the humor and the pathos. The words just took on a different meaning. I like that because it keeps the song grounded and out of the realm of silliness.
PJ-I thought she was a wonderful choice! I am taking some family to see it (they live in FL). I don't know how long Ms. Arnaz's contract is, but I hope she's still in it (and John Rubinstein).
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.