The horrifying news that Susan Sarandon will make her Broadway debut this Spring (because Broadway isn’t left ENOUGH?) has gotten me to thinking… Instead of Ms. Sarandon, and Rosie O’Donnell and Alec Baldwin & Jessica Lange (in the SAME play, no less) why can’t a Broadway season contain actors who are not so excruciatingly annoying?  I’m not even saying actors who are center/right in their politics — but how about actors who just focus on acting and, when off-camera, acting with class?

Here’s my wish-list for that season, in a perfect world…

Tom Selleck in The Man Who Came to Dinner – He has an easy dignity, wit and poise perfect for the character of Sheridan Whiteside.

Kelsey Grammer in A Man For All Seasons – That voice, saying those lines….  wow!

Patricia Heaton in Gypsy - Few actress are able to capture Mama Rose’s relentlessness and sarcastic wit and still make her likable. Heaton has the magic to do it.

Gary Sinise in Mister Roberts – He’s already done a Henry Fonda role on Broadway, and the publicity still of him in uniform would sell-out the entire run.

Bruce Willis in On The Water Front – He has the raw intensity of Brando and he’s such a big personality the audience will watch his every twitch.

Robert Duvall in King Lear – ’nuff said.

And one more… I don’t think this guy’s center/right and I don’t know whether he’s ever voted for a Republican, but, Tom Hanks is our generation’s finest actor and the fact that he is so inoffensive about whatever his politics might be makes him a stand-out even if he is on the left side of the scale.  Also, I have always dreamed of him playing THIS part:

Tom Hanks in Harvey (Hanks is OUR Jimmy Stewart and he needs to be on stage like RIGHT NOW!)

If you think of some more, or some better roles for the actors and actress I listed, please put them in the comments….

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