Not always. Ashley Judd, who plays Maggie in the current revival of Williams' classic, will soon undergo foot surgery. She injured her paw during the Feb. 17 evening performance. The mishap caused her to miss several performances during the week ending Feb. 23. Kelly McAndrew, her understudy, acted in her stead.
A spokesman for the show could not say when, or if, Judd would return, or if McAndrew would complete the play's run, scheduled to end March 14 at the Music Box Theatre. Producer Bill Kenwright offered the statement: "It is my intention to certainly perform this week and my hope that we can continue the run."
Judd's initial injury caused her to miss the third act of the Tuesday Feb. 17 show. She then sat out the Feb. 18 Wednesday matinee and the Thursday performance, but managed to make it through the Feb. 18 evening show.
Heading the cast of Cat are Judd, as the frustrated, beautiful and determined Maggie the Cat; Jason Patric as her willfully alcoholic, unresponsive husband Brick; and Ned Beatty as the blustery and blunt redneck millionaire Big Daddy.
The production also stars Margo Martindale as the cowed, but loving Big Mama; Michael Mastro as Brick's neglected brother, Gooper; and Amy Hohn as Gooper's baby-making, grasping wife Mae.
Previews began Oct. 9, under the direction of Anthony Page.