The Call Is Places 2019–2020 SUBSCRIBER NEWSLETTER Steel Magnolias Oct 26 – Dec 15 McGuire Proscenium Stage WELCOME From Artistic Director Joseph Haj SEASON 2019–2020 2019–2020 The Glass Menagerie Sept 14 – Oct 27, 2019 Dear Friends, Wurtele Thrust Stage Let me start with a confession: Before Steel Magnolias surfaced in our Steel Magnolias season planning discussions, I had never read the play, seen the play or Oct 26 – Dec 15, 2019 watched the famed 1989 film. Thankfully, I wasn’t alone. Our esteemed McGuire Proscenium Stage director Lisa Rothe and several members of our creative team were just as unfamiliar with this sharp-witted and irreverently funny group of Southern A Christmas Carol women. But the moment we immersed ourselves in the script and their Nov 12 – Dec 29, 2019 stories, we fell in love with each and every one of them, quirks and all. Wurtele Thrust Stage Robert Harling wrote the play as an homage to his late sister, Susan, Noura which explains the deep honor and care he gives to his “steel magnolias.” Jan 11 – Feb 16, 2020 McGuire Proscenium Stage I continue to be struck by how much these women love and care for each other despite their differences. They each have their own highs and lows, Twelfth Night but they face everything life throws at them together. That is the secret Feb 8 – March 22, 2020 to their strength, and, as Harling hints at in the title, that is what makes Wurtele Thrust Stage them flourish. The Bacchae Steel Magnolias is a celebration of strong women, so I’m thrilled that Feb 29 – April 5, 2020 this play is being directed and designed by an all-female team who McGuire Proscenium Stage is supported by our outstanding staff at the Guthrie. In that spirit, many women who worked behind the scenes are featured throughout Emma the program, and their presence is embedded in every aspect of this April 11 – May 31, 2020 heartfelt production. Wurtele Thrust Stage Thank you for joining us, and I hope you enjoy the show as much as we Destiny of Desire enjoyed bringing it to the stage. May 30 – July 11, 2020 McGuire Proscenium Stage Yours, Cabaret June 20 – Aug 23, 2020 Wurtele Thrust Stage Sweat July 25 – Aug 29, 2020 McGuire Proscenium Stage Visit guthrietheater.org for additional productions and play descriptions. 2 \ GUTHRIE THEATER PHOTO: T CHARLES ERICKSON Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling Sponsored by Cast in alphabetical order SHELBY Nicole King* M’LYNN Melissa Maxwell* ANNELLE Adelin Phelps The Guthrie gratefully recognizes TRUVY Austene Van* Garry Jenkins & Jon Lee as Associate Producers. CLAIREE Amy Van Nostrand* OUISER Sally Wingert* Setting A beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, in the 1980s. Run Time Creative Team Approximately 2 hours, 30 minutes (including intermission) DIRECTOR Lisa Rothe SCENIC DESIGNER Narelle Sissons Recorded Radio DJ Voice Elizabeth Reese* COSTUME DESIGNER Kara Harmon LIGHTING DESIGNER Cat Tate Starmer Acknowledgments Steel Magnolias is presented by special SOUND DESIGNER/COMPOSER Jane Shaw arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. RESIDENT DRAMATURG Carla Steen Originally produced by the WPA RESIDENT VOICE COACH Jill Walmsley Zager Theatre, New York City, 1987 (Kyle Renick, artistic director). STAGE MANAGER Jason Clusman* Special thanks to Beauty Lounge ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS Katie Hawkinson* Minneapolis and Curl Power Salon. Jamie J. Kranz* ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Laura Leffler NYC CASTING CONSULTANT McCorkle Casting, Ltd. DESIGN ASSISTANTS Polly Bilski (costumes) Alexi Carlson (lighting) C Andrew Mayer (sound) *Member of Actors’ Equity Association 3 \ GUTHRIE THEATER THE PLAY “ I would rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.” – Shelby to M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias Synopsis Truvy’s salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, is a gathering place and SETTING sanctuary for a close-knit group of women from the neighborhood. A beauty salon in Chinquapin, Recently widowed Clairee is adjusting to life without her husband, who Louisiana, in the 1980s. was the town’s former mayor. Ouiser, a wealthy curmudgeon, finds any excuse to bicker and complain. Truvy has hired young Annelle just in CHARACTERS time to get Shelby and her mother, M’Lynn, ready for Shelby’s wedding Truvy, the owner of a later that day, and the women’s excitement fills the beauty shop with beauty salon gossip, warmth and familiarity. Annelle, Truvy’s assistant When the normally friendly Shelby suddenly becomes cranky, everyone in the salon realizes her blood sugar has dropped, and the women fuss over her and Clairee, the grande dame give her juice until she’s recovered. Shelby’s health is fragile because widow of the former mayor she’s diabetic, which makes M’Lynn worry about her daughter’s choices M’Lynn, a socially prominent and the physical toll Shelby’s body may not be able to bear. career woman Over the next few years, as Clairee fills the void left by her husband’s Shelby, M’Lynn’s daughter and death, Annelle embraces life in Chinquapin and Ouiser strikes up a new bride-to-be friendship, Truvy’s salon remains at the center of their lives and becomes Ouiser, a wealthy curmudgeon an oasis when tragedy strikes. 4 \ GUTHRIE THEATER PHOTOS: MELISSA MAXWELL AND NICOLE KING; AUSTENE VAN (NATHAN DALE STUDIOS) THE CREATIVE TEAM Playwright Robert Harling “ I always thought the women in my community were so witty and clever. In a lot of ways, they talked in bumper stickers.” – Robert Harling on the women who inspired Steel Magnolias Robert Harling is an actor, playwright, screenwriter and director who was born in Natchitoches, Louisiana. He graduated from Tulane University School of Law but opted to become an actor instead of taking the bar exam. After successfully working in voiceovers and commercials, Harling was inspired to write the highly acclaimed stage play Steel Magnolias based on his mother and sister. The play premiered off-Broadway in 1987, and Harling bridged his career from stage to screen by adapting his original play into the popular 1989 film of the same name starring Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts. Harling continues to be a sought-after screenwriter whose credits include Soapdish, The First Wives Club, Laws of Attraction and The Evening Star, which he also directed. Director Lisa Rothe “ I was struck by the familiarity of these women gathered together in a salon in Louisiana. I was moved by their generosity with one another, their vulnerability, their deep wit and humor — powerful qualities that helped them through some of life’s more difficult and painful episodes.” – Lisa Rothe on reading Steel Magnolias for the first time Lisa Rothe is a New York City-based freelance theater director, coach and educator. Most recently, her production of Hold These Truths by Jeanne Sakata won three Theatre Bay Area Awards for the Tony Award-winning TheatreWorks, including Outstanding Direction of a Play and Outstanding Production of a Play. She has recently directed at Kansas City Repertory Theatre (Fun Home, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), Indiana Repertory Theatre, Irish Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Two River Theater, People’s Light and PlayMakers Repertory Company. Rothe is the director of new works at Kansas City Repertory Theatre, co-artistic director of The Actors Center, recent co-president of the League of Professional Theatre Women, Usual Suspect with New York Theatre Workshop, member of the National Theatre Conference and former Drama League and Fox Fellow. For more than five years, Rothe was the director of Global Exchange at The Lark, where she provided expanded opportunities for playwrights with a focus on advancing new work to production nationally and globally. Learn more at www.lisarothe.com. 5 \ GUTHRIE THEATER PLAY FEATURE From Script to Screenplay Two years before the 1989 film Steel Magnolias stole America’s heart and launched Julia Roberts to stardom, the play that inspired the movie premiered off-Broadway. Use this handy guide to learn more about the two works written by Robert Harling. 1987 PLAY 1989 FILM A graduate of Tulane University School of Law, Six months after the play’s opening, producer Ray Harling moved to New York City instead of pursuing Stark asked Harling to adapt his play for the screen. a law career. He acted in voiceovers and commercials Stark’s proposal to shoot in Harling’s Louisiana before becoming a playwright. hometown clinched the deal. After Harling’s sister died from diabetic The cast included Olympia Dukakis (Clairee), Sally complications, he began writing a short story in her Field (M’Lynn), Daryl Hannah (Annelle), Shirley honor. When he realized the witty dialogue was best MacLaine (Ouiser), Dolly Parton (Truvy) and Julia served in a play, he wrote the script in 10 days. Roberts (Shelby). The play features six female characters, all of whom Meg Ryan was slated to play the role of Shelby, but are based on real people — mostly his mother’s she dropped out to film When Harry Met Sally. Julia friends — from his hometown of Natchitoches, Roberts, then a relatively unknown actor, instantly Louisiana. He wrote the role of Truvy with actor won Harling over at her audition. Margo Martindale in mind. The world of the play was expanded for the film. Steel Magnolias premiered off-Broadway on Settings were added and the male characters March 28, 1987, and closed on February 25, 1990, appeared on screen. after more than 1,000 performances. Harling’s mother, who inspired the character of The original cast featured Blanche Baker (Shelby), M’Lynn, was on set during much of the filming. Mary Fogarty (Ouiser), Margo Martindale (Truvy), Rosemary Prinz (M’Lynn), Constance Shulman Harling made a cameo appearance as the minister at (Annelle) and Kate Wilkinson (Clairee).