Steel Magnolias (play)
Encyclopedia
Steel Magnolias is a comedy–drama play about the bond among a group of Southern
women in northwest Louisiana
. It is written by Robert Harling
, based on his experience with the death of his sister. The title suggests the "female characters are as delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel". The magnolia specifically references a magnolia tree they are arguing about at the beginning.
and the complications that result from the decision. There is also a glimpse of the unlikely friendship between Clairee and Ouiser; Annelle's transformation from a shy, anxious newcomer in town to a good-time girl and then to a revival-tent Christian; and Truvy's relationships with the men in her family. Although the main storyline involves Shelby, her mother and Shelby's medical battles, the underlying group-friendship among all six women is prominent throughout the drama.
, the story of Steel Magnolias is based on the death of Robert Harling's younger sister, Susan Harling Robinson, a diabetic. As her best friend and closest sibling, Harling found it very difficult to cope
with her death. He was advised by many of his friends to write about his feelings as a coping method. It began as a short story and evolved into a full length play as Harling didn't feel that a short story adequately conveyed the complexity of the relationships and the emotions that existed within the characters. Harling felt it important to include the way the characters utilized humor and lighthearted conversations to assist them in coping with the seriousness of the underlying situations. Harling wanted the moviegoers to have a true experience of what his family endured during his sister's hospitalization. One of the ways he did this was by employing the nurses, doctors and other hospital staff that worked with his sister as characters in the movie portraying their real life roles.
The setting is the fictional small town of Chinquapin, Louisiana which is located in the (also fictional) parish
of Chinquapin.
. All of the action of the play takes place solely on one set — Truvy's beauty salon, which is part of her house. There are only six characters (all female) that appear on stage. There is the voice of a DJ on the radio that is heard during the play. All the other characters (like the male characters) that appear in the film version are only referred to in the dialogue.
The original stage production opened Off-Broadway
at the WPA Theatre, in New York City, on March 28, 1987. It was directed by Pamela Berlin and featured Margo Martindale
as Truvy, Constance Shulman as Annelle, Kate Wilkinson
as Clairee, Mary Fogarty as Ouiser, Blanche Baker
as Shelby and Rosemary Prinz
as M'Lynn. The production transferred to the Lucille Lortel Theatre
on June 19, 1987, and closed on February 25, 1990 after 1,126 performances. Betsy Aidem took over the role of Shelby, and notable replacements included Rita Gardner
as M'Lynn and Anne Pitoniak
as Ouiser.
A UK production of the play premiered in the West End
in March 1989 at the Lyric Theatre
. It was directed by Julia McKenzie
and featured Rosemary Harris
as M’Lynn, Jean Boht
as Ouiser, Janine Duvitski
as Annelle, Stephanie Cole
as Clairee, Maggie Steed
as Truvy and Joely Richardson
as Shelby.
The play premiered on Broadway
at the Lyceum Theatre, in previews starting on March 15, 2005 and officially on April 4, and closed on July 31, 2005 after 23 previews and 136 performances. Directed by Jason Moore, the cast included Delta Burke
as Truvy, Christine Ebersole
as M'Lynn, Rebecca Gayheart
as Shelby, Marsha Mason
as Ouiser, Lily Rabe
as Annelle and Frances Sternhagen
as Clairee.
There have been a number of Japanese language productions of the play. The most recent was staged by the Haiyuza Theatre Company from 14 November to 25 November 2007, in Tokyo. The production featured Mayuko Aoyama in the role of Truvy, Kaoru Inoue as Annelle, Mayumi Katayama as Clairee, Midori Ando as Shelby, Atsuko Kawaguchi as M'Lynn and Minae as Ouiser. The play was translated and directed by Hajime Mori.
A Swedish production premiered November 16, 2008 at Vasateatern in Stockholm
in presence of Robert Harling. The cast included Cecilia Nilsson
as Truvy, Pernilla August
as M'Lynn, Melinda Kinnaman
as Shelby, Suzanne Reuter as Ouiser, Linda Ulvaeus
as Annelle and Gunilla Nyroos
as Clairee. The play, called Blommor av Stål in Swedish, was directed by Emma Bucht and translated by Klas Östergren
and Edward af Sillén
.
as M'Lynn, Dolly Parton
as Truvy, Shirley MacLaine
as Ouiser, Daryl Hannah
as Annelle, Olympia Dukakis
as Clairee, and Julia Roberts
as Shelby.
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
women in northwest Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. It is written by Robert Harling
Robert Harling (writer)
Robert Harling is an American writer, producer and film director best known for his play Steel Magnolias.-Life and Career:Robert Harling was born in 1951 in Natchitoches, Louisiana...
, based on his experience with the death of his sister. The title suggests the "female characters are as delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel". The magnolia specifically references a magnolia tree they are arguing about at the beginning.
Synopsis
The action centers on Truvy's beauty parlour and the women who regularly gather there. The story begins on the morning of Shelby's wedding to Jackson and covers events over the next three years, including Shelby's decision to have a child despite having Type 1 diabetesDiabetes mellitus type 1
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose...
and the complications that result from the decision. There is also a glimpse of the unlikely friendship between Clairee and Ouiser; Annelle's transformation from a shy, anxious newcomer in town to a good-time girl and then to a revival-tent Christian; and Truvy's relationships with the men in her family. Although the main storyline involves Shelby, her mother and Shelby's medical battles, the underlying group-friendship among all six women is prominent throughout the drama.
Background
As noted in the Special Features on the Steel Magnolias DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, the story of Steel Magnolias is based on the death of Robert Harling's younger sister, Susan Harling Robinson, a diabetic. As her best friend and closest sibling, Harling found it very difficult to cope
Cope
The cope is a liturgical vestment, a very long mantle or cloak, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp. It may be of any liturgical colour....
with her death. He was advised by many of his friends to write about his feelings as a coping method. It began as a short story and evolved into a full length play as Harling didn't feel that a short story adequately conveyed the complexity of the relationships and the emotions that existed within the characters. Harling felt it important to include the way the characters utilized humor and lighthearted conversations to assist them in coping with the seriousness of the underlying situations. Harling wanted the moviegoers to have a true experience of what his family endured during his sister's hospitalization. One of the ways he did this was by employing the nurses, doctors and other hospital staff that worked with his sister as characters in the movie portraying their real life roles.
The setting is the fictional small town of Chinquapin, Louisiana which is located in the (also fictional) parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Chinquapin.
Production history
The stage play, written by Robert Harling, is still popular today and has frequent productions mounted throughout the United States. It was originally staged Off-BroadwayOff-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
. All of the action of the play takes place solely on one set — Truvy's beauty salon, which is part of her house. There are only six characters (all female) that appear on stage. There is the voice of a DJ on the radio that is heard during the play. All the other characters (like the male characters) that appear in the film version are only referred to in the dialogue.
The original stage production opened Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
at the WPA Theatre, in New York City, on March 28, 1987. It was directed by Pamela Berlin and featured Margo Martindale
Margo Martindale
Margo Martindale is an American stage, television and film actress. In 2011, Martindale won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Mags Bennett on Justified.-Early life:...
as Truvy, Constance Shulman as Annelle, Kate Wilkinson
Kate Wilkinson
Kate Wilkinson was an American stage, film and television actress, best known for her roles as Viola Stapleton in the CBS soap opera Guiding Light, a role she played from 1976 to 1981, and Clara Hudson on the NBC soap opera Another World, which she played from 1987 to 1989.In addition to...
as Clairee, Mary Fogarty as Ouiser, Blanche Baker
Blanche Baker
-Personal life:Born Blanche Garfein in New York City, she is the daughter of actress Carroll Baker and director Jack Garfein. She attended Wellesley College from 1974 until 1976.-Career:...
as Shelby and Rosemary Prinz
Rosemary Prinz
Rosemary Prinz was a stage and television actress. She is most known for her work in the early era of the American soap opera.-Life and career:Prinz was born in New York City...
as M'Lynn. The production transferred to the Lucille Lortel Theatre
Lucille Lortel Theatre
The Lucille Lortel Theatre is an off-Broadway playhouse located at 121 Christopher Street in New York City's Greenwich Village.The venue was built in 1926 as a 590-seat movie theater called the New Hudson, later known as Hudson Playhouse...
on June 19, 1987, and closed on February 25, 1990 after 1,126 performances. Betsy Aidem took over the role of Shelby, and notable replacements included Rita Gardner
Rita Gardner
Rita Gardner is an American actress and singer.Gardner made her stage debut as Luisa in the original cast of The Fantasticks in 1960. Additional off-Broadway credits include The Cradle Will Rock , To Be Young, Gifted, and Black , Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris , Steel Magnolias...
as M'Lynn and Anne Pitoniak
Anne Pitoniak
Anne Pitoniak was an American actress. She was nominated twice for Broadway's Tony Award: as Best Actress in 1983, for night, Mother, and as Best Actress in 1994, for a revival of William Inge's Picnic.-Early life:Pitoniak was born in Westfield, Massachusetts, the daughter of Sophie and John...
as Ouiser.
A UK production of the play premiered in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
in March 1989 at the Lyric Theatre
Lyric Theatre (London)
The Lyric Theatre is a West End theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster.Designed by architect C. J. Phipps, it was built by producer Henry Leslie with profits from the Alfred Cellier and B. C. Stephenson hit, Dorothy, which he transferred from the Prince of Wales Theatre to open...
. It was directed by Julia McKenzie
Julia McKenzie
Julia McKenzie is an English actress, singer, and theatre director. She is best-known for her performance in Fresh Fields, but to current television audiences, she is best known for her role as Miss Marple in Agatha Christie's Marple...
and featured Rosemary Harris
Rosemary Harris
Rosemary Ann Harris is an English actress and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame. Throughout her career she has been nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and has won a Golden Globe, an Emmy, a Tony Award, an Obie, and five Drama Desk Awards.-Early life:Harris was born in...
as M’Lynn, Jean Boht
Jean Boht
Jean Boht is an English actress.She is most famous for the role of Nellie Boswell in Carla Lane's comedy Bread....
as Ouiser, Janine Duvitski
Janine Duvitski
Janine Duvitski is an English actress, known for her roles as Jane Edwards in Waiting for God and Pippa Trench in One Foot in the Grave. She also created and played the role of Angela in Mike Leigh's play Abigail's Party.-Personal life:Duvitski was born in Nottingham. Her father was Polish...
as Annelle, Stephanie Cole
Stephanie Cole
Stephanie Cole, OBE is an English stage, television, and film actress, best known for playing characters a great deal older than her actual age.-Early life:...
as Clairee, Maggie Steed
Maggie Steed
Maggie Steed is an English actress and comedienne.-Youth:After studying drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, she left the theatre for several years.-Career:...
as Truvy and Joely Richardson
Joely Richardson
Joely Kim Richardson is an English actress, most known recently for her role as Queen Catherine Parr in the Showtime television show The Tudors and Julia McNamara in the television drama Nip/Tuck...
as Shelby.
The play premiered on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the Lyceum Theatre, in previews starting on March 15, 2005 and officially on April 4, and closed on July 31, 2005 after 23 previews and 136 performances. Directed by Jason Moore, the cast included Delta Burke
Delta Burke
Delta Ramona Leah Burke is an American television and film actress. Her television work includes a leading role as Suzanne Sugarbaker in the CBS sitcom Designing Women...
as Truvy, Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Ebersole was born in Winnetka, Illinois, where she attended New Trier High School...
as M'Lynn, Rebecca Gayheart
Rebecca Gayheart
-Early life:Gayheart was born in Hazard, Kentucky and raised in Pine Top, Kentucky, the daughter of Floneva , who worked as a Mary Kay independent beauty consultant, and Curtis Gayheart, a miner and coal truck driver. She is of Irish, Italian, and German descent...
as Shelby, Marsha Mason
Marsha Mason
Marsha Mason is an American actress and television director.She received four Academy Award nominations as Best Actress for her performances in Cinderella Liberty, The Goodbye Girl, Chapter Two, and Only When I Laugh. She is also known for starring in the 1986 film Heartbreak Ridge.-Life:Mason was...
as Ouiser, Lily Rabe
Lily Rabe
Lily Rabe is an American actress. She is the daughter of the late actress Jill Clayburgh and playwright David Rabe and attended Northwestern University and the Hotchkiss School....
as Annelle and Frances Sternhagen
Frances Sternhagen
Frances Hussey Sternhagen is an American actress. Sternhagen has appeared on and off Broadway, in movies, and on TV since the 1950s.-Personal life:...
as Clairee.
There have been a number of Japanese language productions of the play. The most recent was staged by the Haiyuza Theatre Company from 14 November to 25 November 2007, in Tokyo. The production featured Mayuko Aoyama in the role of Truvy, Kaoru Inoue as Annelle, Mayumi Katayama as Clairee, Midori Ando as Shelby, Atsuko Kawaguchi as M'Lynn and Minae as Ouiser. The play was translated and directed by Hajime Mori.
A Swedish production premiered November 16, 2008 at Vasateatern in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in presence of Robert Harling. The cast included Cecilia Nilsson
Cecilia Nilsson
Cecilia Nilsson is a Swedish orienteering competitor. She is Relay World Champion from 1997, as a member of the Swedish winning team. She also has a silver medal from 2001.-References:...
as Truvy, Pernilla August
Pernilla August
Pernilla August is a Swedish actress, director and script-writer. Being one of Sweden's leading actresses and a long time collaborator with director Ingmar Bergman, she won the Best Actress Award at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival for her role in his The Best Intentions...
as M'Lynn, Melinda Kinnaman
Melinda Kinnaman
Melinda Rosalie Kinnaman is a Swedish actress.Kinnaman was born in Sweden with two American parents and a brother, Joel Kinnaman, who is also an international actor. By age 13 she made her acting debut, portraying the tomboy Saga in the acclaimed 1985 movie My Life as a Dog, directed by Lasse...
as Shelby, Suzanne Reuter as Ouiser, Linda Ulvaeus
Linda Ulvaeus
Linda Elin Ulvaeus is a Swedish singer-songwriter, screen and stage actress. She is the eldest child of Björn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fältskog, former members of the Swedish pop group ABBA....
as Annelle and Gunilla Nyroos
Gunilla Nyroos
Gunilla Birgitta Nyroos is a Swedish actress. Nyroos is married to Lennart Hjulström. Together they have the daughter Hannah Nyroos....
as Clairee. The play, called Blommor av Stål in Swedish, was directed by Emma Bucht and translated by Klas Östergren
Klas Östergren
Klas Östergren is a Swedish novelist, screenwriter and translator who, in 1999, was nominated for his country's top film award, the Guldbagge and, in 2005, received the grand prize bestowed by the country's premier literary society, Samfundet De Nio.A native of Stockholm, Klas Östergren was twenty...
and Edward af Sillén
Edward af Sillén
Edward af Sillén was born in 1982 and works as a comedywriter, screenwriter and director.For Swedish Television SVT he did the commentary for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, Eurovision Song Contest 2010 and again for Eurovision Song Contest 2011....
.
Original Off-Broadway cast
- Margo MartindaleMargo MartindaleMargo Martindale is an American stage, television and film actress. In 2011, Martindale won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Mags Bennett on Justified.-Early life:...
as Truvy - Constance Shulman as Annelle
- Kate WilkinsonKate WilkinsonKate Wilkinson was an American stage, film and television actress, best known for her roles as Viola Stapleton in the CBS soap opera Guiding Light, a role she played from 1976 to 1981, and Clara Hudson on the NBC soap opera Another World, which she played from 1987 to 1989.In addition to...
as Clairee - Mary Fogarty as Ouiser
- Blanche BakerBlanche Baker-Personal life:Born Blanche Garfein in New York City, she is the daughter of actress Carroll Baker and director Jack Garfein. She attended Wellesley College from 1974 until 1976.-Career:...
as Shelby - Rosemary PrinzRosemary PrinzRosemary Prinz was a stage and television actress. She is most known for her work in the early era of the American soap opera.-Life and career:Prinz was born in New York City...
as M'Lynn.
Film adaptation
The play was made into a film in 1989. It starred Sally FieldSally Field
Sally Margaret Field is an American actress, singer, producer, director, and screenwriter. In each decade of her career, she has been known for major roles in American TV/film culture, including: in the 1960s, for Gidget or Sister Bertrille on The Flying Nun ; in the 1970s, for Sybil , Smokey and...
as M'Lynn, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
as Truvy, Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine is an American film and theater actress, singer, dancer, activist and author, well-known for her beliefs in new age spirituality and reincarnation. She has written a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her spiritual beliefs as well as her Hollywood career...
as Ouiser, Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Christine Hannah is an American film actress. After making her screen debut in 1978, Hannah starred in a number of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, notably Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street and Roxanne and Kill Bill.-Early life:Hannah was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Susan...
as Annelle, Olympia Dukakis
Olympia Dukakis
Olympia Dukakis is an American actress. In 1987, she won an Academy Award, BAFTA, and a Golden Globe for her performance in Moonstruck...
as Clairee, and Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
as Shelby.