More from Tasha Martel
Ms. Martel was kind enough to answer a question recently that has been on my mind:
What has been, in your opinion, the most challenging, the most intriguing role you’ve ever played?
The role that I recall as most challenging was playing The Countess in “The Madwoman of Chaillot” when I was a sophomore attending the High School of Performing Arts in New York City. It was the part of a lifetime, playing an eighty year old woman with all of her eternal romantic nature still in full bloom. It was the senior play. I was not a senior. I hadn’t been in love yet. That experience was still to come a year later when I first met James Dean. I was elevated and exalted when I surrendered to the character’s reality. Playing The Countess actually prepared me for loving. Ultimately, I am excited about any role where the character transforms.
As you might recall, Katherine Hepburn performed this powerful role in the movie version, made in the 1970’s. Katherine herself was in her late 70’s when she played the part. In contrast, Arlene managed to perform this role while still a very, very young woman. As you can see, this fine lady has never shied away from tackling the difficult parts.
Many of you might not be familiar with this actress’ history. In a nutshell, Arlene was born in the Bronx ghetto to an impoverished family. At the age of eight, her mother’s employer, who happened to be quite wealthy, saw her and took her under his wing , sending her to a boarding school in Connecticut, where her creativity and talent both in writing and acting were quickly recognized and encouraged.
At the age of 12, she secretly auditioned for the High School of the Performing Arts in New York City (the school which serves as the backdrop to the movie “Fame”) and graduated from this school with its highest honor, the Drama Award. In her late teens she performed the part of Esther in the Broadway play, “Uncle Willie,” which ran for five full months — her first professional paying role.
Shortly thereafter she went westward toward Hollywood, and the rest, as they say, is history. She’s been actively, enthusiastically involved in the industry ever since. She currently has three children, Avra, Jod and Adam, and two grandchildren, Shane and Molly Rose.
What may surprise you is that Arlene was originally slated to play a part in the original Star Trek pilot “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” Unfortunately, she discovered she couldn’t tolerate the contact lenses required for the role. She was also considered for a leading role in the episode “Catspaw” after playing T’Pring in “Amok Time.”
Arlene continues to have a warm relationship with her experiences in Star Trek, and is in high demand as a guest star for multiple science-fiction conventions every year. She even used to attend with her children accompanying her dressed as Vulcans! Guess that peculiar relationship with “Stonn” was more fruitful than we might have expected . . .
Anyway, this should give you a little taste of this woman’s interesting background and her creative, imaginative and sometimes devilishly playful mind. Come to ICON 30 and spend a little time around the woman who arguably defined the Vulcan mystique as no other woman has before or since.
Gino