Rose Maxson - Eartha Kitt

I chose Eartha Kitt (in her 40s) for Rose as there is hidden, tensile strength in Ms. Kitt’s small and vulnerable person. There is no physical description of Rose in the book, but her sassiness and strength is plainly seen in the play. As this passage states, “I told him if he wasn’t the marrying kind, then move out the way so the marrying kind could find me” (6). The book also alludes to her attractiveness as evidenced by Troy stating, “I looked here. Looked there. Saw Rose and latched on to her” (6). Ms. Kitt is an attractive and sensual woman, in this aspect she could play Rose. There is also strength emotionally and mentally, as evinced by her character as Cat Woman. Rose displays this emotional and mental strength when she found out that Troy will be a daddy. Here is what she said in page 70-71:

Don’t you think it ever crossed my mind to want to know other men? That I wanted to lay up somewhere and forget about my responsibilities? That I wanted someone to make me laugh so I could feel good? You not the only one who’s got wants and needs. But I held on to you, Troy. I took all my feelings, my wants and needs, my dreams… and I buried them inside of you… I planted myself inside you and waited to bloom…I gave everything I had to try and erase the doubt that you wasn’t the finest man in the world…. Cause that’s the only way I was gonna survive as your wife.

It takes emotional and mental strength to erase any doubts you have so that you can survive and keep the life she had.