Tovah Feldshuh

AGE 51
MUSTWORTHINESS A one-woman powerhouse in ''Golda's Balcony,'' she portrays Israeli prime minister Meir -- and 38 other characters -- during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. ''As long as I'm going to be a Jewish mother,'' she says, ''why be a local Jew? Go global.'' The role earned her the fourth Tony nomination of her 30-year career.
PLAY IT AGAIN, TOVAH ''I started as a classical pianist but I got too lonely. So I switched to plays.''
1972: A MIDSUMMER NIGHTMARE Feldshuh was a fairy in Shakespeare's ''Dream'' at Minneapolis' Guthrie Theater. ''The director said, 'Why bother being an actor? Why don't you just become an accountant?' My heart stopped.''
1973: A BROADWAY BOW In the musical ''Cyrano,'' ''I had one scene alone with Christopher Plummer where he kissed my hand. To this day, when he sees me, he still kisses my hand.''
ON HER MUST LIST To star in a TV series in New York City, write a biopic of Washington Post editor Katharine Graham, and, of course, tackle great stage roles like ''Virginia Woolf, Cleopatra, even Saint Joan.''
AMEN, SISTER! ''I'm little, I'm fierce, and I've had no plastic surgery.''
NEXT More ''Golda's Balcony.''