# Karen Ziemba — Broadway "legend"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 30, 2017, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224 "2017-10-30T13:36:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224/1 "2017-10-30T13:36:55Z")
I work for a weekly newspaper in rural Connecticut. I’m editing an article about the new production team at our local summer stock theater. Ziemba appeared there two seasons ago. In the interview, they said they hoped to bring in more “celebrity-level” talent like her. While she is very well-known in theater circles, hers is not really a household name, so I want to convey to readers that she is, in fact, “celebrity-level.” At first I wrote, “on par with actors like Broadway legend Karen Ziemba (who starred in “Gypsy” two summers ago).” But I’m wondering about the term “legend.” Yes, she’s been in 11 Broadway productions, starring in at least four of them. She’s been nominated for a Tony twice, and won one of them. But does that add up to legendary? So, my question: Is “Broadway legend” an appropriate modifier? My second question: If not, what would you go with? “Broadway stalwart”? “Broadway regular”? “Broadway mainstay?” Something else? ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224/2 "2017-10-30T13:56:51Z")
“Tony award winner”? “Broadway actress and Tony award winner”? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224/3 "2017-10-30T14:07:13Z")
On Broadway, she’s a legend. Much like the great, great Polish actor, Fredrick Bronsky. ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224/4 "2017-10-30T17:56:31Z")
Bronsky can’t hold a candle to Joseph Tura! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224/5 "2017-10-30T18:47:12Z")
She’s world famous on Broadway! ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224/6 "2017-10-30T19:07:36Z")
Of course she’s a legend. You don’t know that she’s a legend? Why would you think that? Well, then you just don’t know when you see a TRUE LEGEND! All kidding aside, it makes for good copy. After all, don’t you want to promote that your theater features “Broadway Legends!”. Whereas “Stalwart” sounds like someone who unloads the trucks. ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224/7 "2017-10-31T15:18:38Z")
Thank you for the advice, everyone. ( **Icarus** : very true about “stalwart”) If anyone cares, I decided to go with “mainstay.” ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224/8 "2017-10-31T17:13:25Z")
Another possibility, should this come up again: “Now appearing, Tony Award-winning Broadway star Karen Ziemba…” ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2017, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224/9 "2017-11-01T02:25:01Z")
I think you made the right choice. I work in the Broadway industry and even I wouldn’t call her a legend. Chita Rivera, Bernadette Peters, yes, but not her (yet). “Legend”, to me, implies longevity. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224/10 "2017-11-01T14:21:02Z")
> [@DooWahDiddy](#): > > I think you made the right choice. I work in the Broadway industry and even I wouldn’t call her a legend. Chita Rivera, Bernadette Peters, yes, but not her (yet). > > “Legend”, to me, implies longevity. She will be 60 in two weeks. Seems to me that she has longevity. Not that I ever heard of her until today but Broadway isn’t what it used to be (a lament for the last half-century). ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karen-ziemba-broadway-legend/800224/11 "2017-11-02T00:58:04Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > She will be 60 in two weeks. Seems to me that she has longevity. Not that I ever heard of her until today but Broadway isn’t what it used to be (a lament for the last half-century). I meant longevity in one’s career. Ethel Merman, Bea Arthur, Elaine Stritch, etc. I’m sure Karen Ziemba is a lovely lady, but I honestly can’t think of what she’s been in besides _Steel Pier_, and that was not much of a success.