By Michael Buckley
21 Dec 2003
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| Mary Testa and Whoopi Goldberg in "Whoopi" |
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| photo by Carsey/Werner/Mandabach |
This month we chat with two-time Tony nominee (On the Town, 42nd Street) Mary Testa, who plays the recurring role of Sophia in the Whoopi Goldberg sitcom, "Whoopi" (NBC, Tuesday, 8:30 PM ET), and we also look back at what was happening on television 50 years ago, and how it related to Broadway.
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"I auditioned [for Sophia, the diner-owner]," says Mary Testa. "I also had known Whoopi, because we worked in Forum together [when Goldberg succeeded Nathan Lane as Pseudolus, and Testa continued in the role of Domina: "Carry my bust with pride!"]. I was put on tape, and I got it. I think that Whoopi had a lot to do with that."
Most of Testa's scenes are with Goldberg, "smoking in front of the hotel [that Whoopi runs]." Is Testa a smoker? "I quit eight years ago, and they are allowing me to smoke herbal cigarettes, so I won't get hooked again. We've had about three shows with the women playing poker — and smoking up a storm. During a poker scene, I mistakenly picked up a regular cigarette, and the smoke hit the back of my throat. 'Hello!' I don't think I'll ever smoke again. The act of smoking is very pleasurable, but [the herbal cigarettes] don't taste very good."
On hiatus after appearing in 11 of the 13 episodes shot thus far, Testa returns to sitcom duty Jan. 6. She regards TV "like a vacation! On Wednesdays, we do a table read for an hour, from 12 to 1. Then, we work Thursdays and Fridays, from 9/9:30 to 2, 3, sometimes 4 in the afternoon. We have Saturdays and Sundays off. Mondays, we work from 9:30 to as late as 4. Tuesday's a long day; we come in at noon, start tape at 7 o'clock, and work until 10:30, sometimes 11. As opposed to doing eight shows a week [on Broadway], it's really wonderful." TV pays better, and isn't it everyone's goal to get more money for fewer hours?
Sitcom work has made up somewhat for being let go, along with Jonathan Freeman, from 42nd Street, in which they played the married team of writer-performers, Maggie Jones and Bert Barry.
"They did not renew our contracts. There were two reasons: first, Mark Bramble [who co-authored the book for the 1980 original, and directed the 2001 production] had been trying to get rid of us for a long time. And they then reached the point where they didn't want to pay [her and Freeman] anymore. So, they let us go, which I found really odd. Frankly [if she were in charge], I would want my original cast to be in the show as long as possible.
"I don't want to speak for Jonathan, but we did the show for two years, which is plenty of time [to be in a show]. But I never wanted to walk away from a job. It was a surprise, and a little shocking. I'd never been let go.
"Then, I got a movie [playing Sister Clare in "Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding," a 2004 release]. I worked on it for five weeks, and then I got 'Whoopi.' [The termination] turned out to be a lovely thing for me, probably the best thing in the world."
Born in Philadelphia, Testa is the younger of two daughters. At four, she moved (with her family) to Rhode Island. Some years later, she had to choose between pursuing a career in law or entertainment. "I'd have to go to school way too long for law, so I chose show business."
At first, she thought of being a mime. "I was big into Marcel Marceau. I saw him a number of times. That's what I really wanted to do. Then, I thought: 'You know what? I can't talk in [pantomime]. Forget it!' That went by the wayside very fast."
Her New York stage debut occurred at Playwrights Horizons, as Miss Goldberg (not Whoopi) in In Trousers, a musical by William Finn, whose work Testa has often performed. "[Later,] I was doing [Finn's] March of the Falsettos at Playwrights, and making $75 a week.
"I was asked to be a swing for six roles [and to understudy the role of Joice Heth] in Barnum on Broadway for $400 a week. I had bills to pay. I was hired about two weeks before the opening, and it turned out to be a nice job."
Next came the part of movie columnist Hedda Hopper in Marilyn: An American Fable. "It was the longest rehearsal process, but the show only lasted a couple of weeks." When Lenora Nemetz left The Rink, in which she'd stood by for Liza Minnelli, Testa took over the assignment, "and went on for two weeks [prior to Stockard Channing taking over the role]."
In the dozen years that passed before her next Broadway stint, Testa "was completely busy, doing all sorts of different things. People see you on Broadway and think you're successful. I think you're successful if you work. I did a lot of Off-Broadway and a lot of concert work — a lot of things that taught me a great deal. When you sing with an orchestra, it's just you in the spotlight. You've got to be interesting — and sound good."
Off-Broadway credits include Scapin; Lucky Stiff; Hello, Muddah, Hello, Faddah; From Above; A New Brain; Tartuffe; The Knife; Daughter; The Wax; and The Vagina Monologues.
She returned to Broadway in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Claims Testa, "I got good after awhile. It took time to incorporate my own performance into that — about three or four months. She then went from farcical times in ancient Rome to World War II Manhattan, appearing as Madame Dilly in On the Town, first at the Delacorte and then (with some cast changes) at the Gershwin. As the tipsy ballet teacher, Testa received her first Tony nomination.
Marie Christine was a particular favorite. "It was my kind of music, my kind of work. I love dark, interesting pieces. I've known Michael John [LaChiusa, who wrote book, music and lyrics] a really long time. I loved working with Graciela [Daniele, who directed]. I've worked with her a number of times, and would work with her any time. And I loved working with Audra [McDonald, who starred]. It was a combination of wonderful people. That's the thing — getting a group together that works."
Among Testa's cabaret appearances have been shows featuring the songs of William Finn, Barry Kleinbort, Bolcom and Weinstein, and Michael John LaChiusa. On PBS-TV, she performed in a 2002 "Evening at Pops" evening that saluted Richard Rodgers, and performed a memorable "The Gentleman Is a Dope."
At the end of October, the York's "Musicals in Mufti" presented a concert version of Lucky Stiff, with Testa, Paul Kandel, Stuart Zagnit and other members of the original cast. "Lynn and Steve [Ahrens and Flaherty, who wrote the score] are the nicest people in show business. We did five shows and recorded it [again]."
Upcoming is a February benefit appearance, in which she and Whoopi Goldberg will do a number together. Testa looks forward to resuming shooting of the sitcom at New York's Kaufman Astoria Studios. "I've been extremely lucky; it's a dream job." Says a jubilant Mary Testa, "I don't know how many of the nine [remaining] episodes I'll be doing, but I'm sure I'll do a few — and I'm sure I'll love it."
*** Continued...
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