Oprah Winfrey on Broadway? Star in Talks to Play Opposite Audra MacDonald in 'Night, Mother'

By Sami K. Martin, Christian Post Reporter Friday, February 07, 2014

Longtime television host Oprah Winfrey is reportedly in talks to star in a new Broadway show, "Night, Mother" opposite Broadway star Audra MacDonald. It is a Pulitzer Prize-winning play that could bring two legends together on one stage.

"Oprah has had a longstanding desire to act on Broadway," lead producer Scott Sanders told The New York Times. "She understands how unique and challenging performing live on stage will be as an actress. She and I have been looking at a number of plays and roles in order to find material and a character that truly resonate with her. We've recently read something that we're both excited about but are not yet ready to officially announce the specifics."

The play would put Winfrey in the role of a mother desperate to prevent her daughter, played by MacDonald, from committing suicide. It's the story of a young woman named Jessie who tells her mother, who only goes by Mama, that she will be dead by morning and chooses to commit suicide. The play was written in 1983 by Marsha Norman and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama that year.

Kathy Bates took on the role of Jessie and Anne Pitoniak portrayed Mama. The show then went to Broadway, and was eventually made into a film starring Sissy Spacek as Jessie and Anne Bancroft as Mama. In 2005, a Broadway revival brought Edie Falco and Brenda Blethyn together but only for 65 performances.

This would be the first time that the roles would be portrayed by women of color, adding a new dimension to the project. The play would release for the 2015-2016 season, as will a revival of the musical hit, "The Color Purple." Winfrey is already working with Sanders on that play as well.

Winfrey has been quite busy since leaving her daytime talk show. In addition to being on Broadway, she starred in "Lee Daniels' 'The Butler,'" much to praise from fans and critics. MacDonald last starred in "The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess" but has theater projects planned for this show season.