If you saw the previews of this week's episode of Law & Order, you know that it's Jesse L. Martin's last show. The NBC promo implies that Detective Ed Green has gotten into major trouble and will be brought up on charges for his actions, perhaps lose his badge. That would be a very dramatic way to wrap up his nine years on Law and Order, and unlike the near-fatal shooting his character survived a couple of years ago, it leaves open the door for a guest stint down the road. But not too soon. Jesse L. Martin is in talks to star in a Broadway version of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, taking on the Sidney Poitier role.The 1967 movie depicts a love story involving a successful doctor with a woman he meets while on vacation in Hawaii. He's black, she's white. When she brings him home to meet her loving parents in San Francisco, and to announce their plans to marry, her folks are stunned. The interracial love story was considered groundbreaking and bold for the time. In the play, Martin as John Wade Prentice, will still fall for Joanna Drayton, however it will hardly seem stunning or shocking today -- unless a lot of changes are planned in the stage play.
Kenny Leon, who directed A Raisin in the Sun -- another Poitier picture -- on stage and in the TV adaption for ABC with Sean Combs in the Sidney role -- is going to direct the play. It's set to open next September in New York.
In 2005, Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac starred in a film called Guess Who, an inside-out interpretation of William Rose's original screenplay. Rose's work was an Oscar winner; the Kutcher-Mac effort was a bomb.
There's buzz about who's going to play Joanna's parents for the Broadway, with names like Michael Douglas, Diane Keaton and Sigourney Weaver all being named. They'll have big shoes to fill, following in Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn's steps.
For Jesse Martin, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner will mark his return to Broadway. He was an original member of Rent, and later starred in the movie. Martin is also preparing a film based on the life and unfortunate death of singer Marvin Gaye.
The Cheers episode Ken Levine's still writing in his head
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-21-2008 @ 10:42AM
dt3 said...
die spammer
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4-21-2008 @ 11:08AM
willmore2000 said...
Don't you mean: "Hellooooooo, Broadway."
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4-21-2008 @ 12:02PM
Nightfall said...
Maybe JLM can come back in the next iteration of Criminal Intent.
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