Bucket List Roles

 Every actor has roles he would love to play. But as he ages, some of those parts become unlikely to the point of impossible.

When I was younger, my dream roles included Paul in Carnival!, Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady (I'd settle for the same part in Pygmalion), Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, Albert in Bye Bye Birdie, Harold Hill in The Music Man. On the straight play side, either of the male leads in The Philadelphia Story. As I got a little older, I added Horace Vandergelder in Hello Dolly! (I'd settle for the same role in The Matchmaker), Max in The Producers, any of the husbands in Company, the narrator in Into the Woods.

But now, as I near 70, I've aged out of even those mid-year roles. Now, I have a bucket list: Fagin in Oliver!, Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, Alfie Dolittle or Col. Pickering in My Fair Lady (again, I'd settle for the straight play version), Uncle Arvide in Guys and Dolls, Mayor Shin (a non-singing role) in The Music Man. And one straight play part: Henry II in The Lion in Winter.

My theater friends: What's on your bucket list?