Wishing a Speedy Recovery for Nicholas Martin

The Artistic Director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival and director of "The House of Blue Leaves" currently playing at the Mark Taper Forum recently suffered a minor stroke, according to playbill.com, and will have to drop out of a production of something called "Saturn Returns" at Lincoln Center.

He's certainly a favorite of "Blue Leaves" star Kate Burton who has acted for him in "Hedda Gabler" on Broadway and numerous productions at Williamstown and back east. Martin _ whose so-cal credits include "Dead End" at the Ahmanson and the first engagement of Becky Mode's "Fully Committed" _ was an enticement for "Blue Leaves" star Jane Kaczmarek to return to the stage as well. Burton, Kaczmarek's college roommate at Yale Drama School, was another.

"I had spent years after 'Malcolm in the Middle" flying around seeing Kate doing plays in Boston and New York," Kaczmarek told me during an interview with both actresses a few weeks back. "I saw her 'Hedda,' her "Cherry Orchard.' She was resplendent. She was so good."

"All those were directed by Nicky," added Burton.

"And I thought, 'That was a director I'd like to work with,'" Kaczmarek said. "So I said, you know Nicky if there's anything you're working on that would be right for me either at Wiliamstown or something else. ('Blue Leaves') was perfect."

"I've worked with Nicky for many years, but I have never seen him in such an incredible place in terms of his directing," Burton said. "He's helped us and we've evolved it together."

"The House of Blue Leaves" is a tough play, but a rewarding one. And Martin's work is well worth watching. Here's hoping he'll be back at it in soon.