I remained confident that there was a real woman in Daisy, if we could find her. It’s also crucial to Act II that Daisy knows almost nothing about Melinda. She also hears phones before they ring and makes flowers instantly grow by talking to them. The problem we found as we considered this more feminist reading was that it was hard to play Daisy as canny when she’s directly described as “a mound of melted marshmallow.” In the first farcical scene, she is hypnotized over and over by accident - and even hypnotizes herself a few times. An actress and actor keeping that in mind can play it with consensual relish.) (Of the rear-slapping, I will add that these roles are written as two mature performers with an excess of ego and bluster, and Lilli isn’t exactly unafraid to throw things, including chairs and punches. With her former husband, Fred, involved with another woman, she does what all actors do - transfers her fury and fire into performance, speaking her truth through the words of her character.īy her final monologue, she reclaims her power by reclaiming her identity as an artist. Lilli, like most other middle-aged actresses I know, longs to reconnect with her profession. Immersed in the part, I came to see the musical as a love song to a woman and her work. Take that scene in “Kiss Me, Kate.” The role is Lilli, a middle-aged actress with a faltering career who reunites with her producer/actor ex-husband to perform in a musical version of “Taming of the Shrew.” T he chemistry in their marriage is instantly revived the common perception is that both Shakespeare’s Kate and the equally-fiery Lilli are tamed. Perhaps having once been bent over the baritone’s knee, I can offer a few insights not available to those who haven’t. They can respond to new kinds of energy informed by our new wisdoms. But experience tells me that, like controversial but classic parts in the straight theater, the best women’s roles in classic musicals are rich and still worth exploring.
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