A Quick “Prison” Visit w/ Marlo Thomas

Yesterday our friend Marlo Thomas was scheduled to stop by to talk about her newest project.  But host Ron Bennington was sick and didn’t want to risk getting Marlo sick, so he offered to cancel the interview.  But being the sweetheart that she is, Marlo didn’t want to visit the building without stopping to say hi, so she stopped by to talk with Ron, via phone hookup from safely outside the studio glass.  Marlo is currently appearing on Broadway in the play “Relatively Speaking” at the Brooks Atkinson Theater.  The three one-act plays within the show were written by Elaine May, Woody Allen and Ethan Coen, and all three acts are directed by John Turturro.

Ron Bennington: Standing at the window here, is Marlo Thomas. I did not want to let her come in. She’s doing a Broadway Show. Hi Marlo!

Marlo Thomas: Hi there! I hear you have a cold.

Ron Bennington: I do, I’m so sick and I know that you’re on Broadway and I don’t want you to catch it.

Marlo Thomas: Well you are so sweet! That’s why I’m behind the glass here, looking at your cute face. Sorry I can’t be there, but come and see our play as soon as you feel better.

Ron Bennington: I am so excited for you. I can’t believe the heavy weight writers and the great director you got in this.

Marlo Thomas: Great. Elaine May is so great, and Woody Allan and Ethan Coen and John Turturro’s the director. I’m having a ball. I’m having so much fun. To be in this kind of a comedy. 1100 people laughing every night, it’s so much fun!

Ron Bennington: And this is the play everybody in town is talking about. So here you are in THE hot play.

Marlo Thomas: Yes, its pretty exciting! Who would’ve thunk it? A nice little Lebanese Italian girl like me! (Laughs)

Ron Bennington: I would have thought it! I’m always ready for these things to happen to you. Who’s the one who called you, was it Elaine?

Marlo Thomas: Yes Elaine May. I had done a movie with Elaine, called In the Spirit. She wrote this one-act play and called me one day and said, I’ve written a play that I think will be good for you. And when I read it I was surprised because it’s a blond. And I’m a blond in the play. But it’s such a funny play and poignant too. And Woody’s play is hilarious, and Ethan Coen’s play as well. It’s interesting to go to a theater and see three completely different styles of comedy. It’s very exciting because we all love to laugh but we forget how many versions of laughter there are.

Ron Bennington: I think its such a brilliant idea though, to take that and make it all happen in one night.

Marlo Thomas: So as soon as you feel better, come over and see us.

Ron Bennington: I’m going to come over and see you and then you and I are going to go over to Occupy Wall Street.

Marlo Thomas: absolutely. That’s my kind of thing!

Ron Bennington: Alright, you take care.

Marlo Thomas: Feel Better, bye-bye!

===================================

To hear interviews like this in its entirety, listen to Ron Bennington Interviews on SiriusXM radio.  Not yet a subscriber?  Get a free trial here.

Don’t miss Marlo in this terrific play.  For further information, visit the show’s official site or check out Marlo Thomas on twitter @marlothomas or her website marlothomas.com.