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Steel Magnolias, by Robert Harling, is a 1987 off-Broadway play, made into a successful movie in 1989. Based on the author's experience with the death of his sister, Steel Magnolias is a comedy-drama about the bond among a group of southern women in northwest Louisiana.
SynopsisThe action centers around Truvy's beauty parlor and some women who regularly gather there. The drama begins on the morning of Shelby's wedding to Jackson and covers events over the next few years, including Shelby's decision to have a child despite having Type 1 diabetes and the complications that result from the decision. We also get a glimpse of the unlikely friendship between Claire and Ouiser; Annelle's transformation from a shy, anxious newcomer in town, to a partying woman, then to a religious fundamentalist; 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. Stage Play
The premiere London production was produced in 1989 at the Lyric Theatre. It was directed by Not sure, and featured Rosemary Harris as M’Lynn, Jean Boht as Ouiser, Maggie Steed as Annelle, Stephanie Cole as Clairee, Janine Duvitski as Truvy, and Joely Richardson as Shelby. In the spring of 2004, the play made its official Broadway debut at the Lyceum Theatre. Previews of the production began March 15, 2004 and officially opened on April 4. 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. At the close of its run, the staging had played 23 previews and 136 regular performances. A touring production of Steel Magnolias is expected for the 2007-08 season. Many regional theaters also perform the play each year. FilmThe film was released by Tri-Star Pictures in the United States on November 15 1989, and would go on to gross more than US$183.7 million at the box office. Robert Harling adapted his own play, which was heavily rewritten to incorporate many more characters. It was his first produced screenplay, and he also appears in the film as the preacher. The film was directed by Herbert Ross.
The casting and sets of the film go far beyond the modest means of the original play to include male characters, ensembles, and outdoor scenes. The sequence of the action as well was more tightly linked with major holidays in the film than in the play. Much dialogue was added, and several lines in the play were cut or assigned to other characters than originally intended. In addition, Truvy is given only one son instead of two. Among the men added to the cast for the movie were Tom Skerritt as Drum Eatenton (M'Lynn's husband), Dylan McDermott as Jackson Latcherie (Shelby's husband) and Sam Shepard as Spud Jones (Truvy's husband). The film was Julia Roberts' last film before she starred in the highly successful romantic comedy Pretty Woman, which helped turned her into, arguably, the most famous actress of her generation.[citation needed] TelevisionCBS commissioned a television pilot in 1990 in hopes of continuing the story as a weekly half-hour sitcom. The story picked up where the film left off, and therefore the character of Shelby was not included in the show. The cast featured Cindy Williams as M’Lynn, Sally Kirkland as Truvy, Elaine Stritch as Ouiser, Polly Bergen as Clairee, and Sheila McCarthy as Annelle. CBS declined to pick up the series for the 1990 fall season, although the pilot was broadcast on August 17, 1990. Trivia
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