Back to the Theater

Lea Thompson can’t quite fill out a saloon singer get-up the way Marilyn Monroe used to, but she’s not fretting about it. The petite actress feels that for her role in “Bus Stop,” thin is definitely in.

“I fit that description of the character in the play really well,” says Thompson, who currently essays the Monroe role of Cherie at the Pasadena Playhouse. In the William Inge classic, the female lead’s physique would not be confused with that of a Playmate. “She’s supposed to be a thin, little, frail bird. She’s not described as this zaftig bombshell.”

The thin, frail, little Thompson is a show-biz veteran, having traipsed her first stage at the age of 9.

Moviegoers know her best from the “Back to the Future” trilogy, though she’s also taken above-the-title roles in “Casual Sex?” and “Some Kind of Wonderful.” The bubbly 28-year-old has also danced with the American Ballet Theatre’s second company.

It was the rigorous back-to-back filming of the “Future” sequels that motivated her to find her motivation in the live theater.

“It’s rejuvenating. It returns your love of acting and brings back your connection with the audience,” says Thompson, forever and endearingly concerned if her words are adequate in their quip-page content.

“You can become very isolated as a movie actor. You can convince yourself of almost anything . . . you know what I mean?”

Comfortable in marriage with film director Howard Deutch, who directed her in “Some Kind of Wonderful” and then into his life, Thompson itches for the good roles. She wants the parts that make actors scream.

“I just want to do things that I say ‘Yippee!’ about when I get them,” says Thompson.

She drops to a whisper: “And there aren’t that many parts for girls.” Her bouncy voice suddenly returns: “Everyone says it, and it’s sad but true. There are like three parts and they usually go to the sundae of the month.”