After all, Mama Rose is the ultimate challenge among all musical roles; not for nothing has the lady been called Mrs. Lear.
Ms. LuPone was born to play Rose. There ought to be no contest between her and Ms. O’Hara’s nice, clean, cockeyed optimist Nellie Forbush. Not everyone agrees, however. The Times is strongly backing Ms. O’Hara (“The Ingénue Who Roared”). The outcome is said to hang in the balance. Here’s my prediction:
Will win: Patti LuPone.
Should win: Patti LuPone.