Has Delta Burke...

[Shirley Hemphill]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 12:31pm

...had a stroke? Or been smacked in the face by Marsha Mason nightly? At Wednesday night's Steel Magnolias preview, Delta Burke spoke outta the side of her mouth like she was chewing on bobbie pins all night & we could barely understand or even hear her.
Most everyone's timing was way off (except for Sternhagen) -- and tons of lines were flubbed... Broadway vets Mason & Ebersole seemed bored to death -- especially in the 2nd act...
Is this normal for previews? Can this show improve by opening night?

I kept wishing I was Shelby so I wouldn't have to make it through the whole show.

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 12:33pm

Wow, this is disturbing. I hope you simply saw them on off nights as I can't imagine anyone would be bored with such fun characters to play.
Or perhaps Sternhagen was just so brilliant (as she so often is) that she overshone everyone to their detriment.

[mominator]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 12:39pm

Oh dear. I do hope that this was just a bad night for the cast. I am looking forward to seeing this one.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 12:43pm

Is this a joke? I've seen this show and can tell everyone reading that the show is great and Delta Burke MOST CERTANLY HAS NOT HAD A STROKE.

[magruder]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 12:46pm

Nice of Shirley Hemphill to sign up today specifically to share the good news.

[Shirley Hemphill]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 12:50pm

yes indeed i signed up today -- what are you implying? I saw the show Wednesday night and have been desperately searching for a place to discuss this HORRIBLE performance -- and just found it...

I assume your birth name isn't "Magruder" just as mine isn't "Shirley".

[Shirley Hemphill]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 12:53pm

i really do hope it was an off night -- i never got to see the play off-broadway, but i LOVE the film -- and thought this new cast seemed like a great idea -- but Wednesday night sucked harder than careening outta control behind the wheel of a car & plowing into unsuspecting children.

Has anyone been to any other nights yet? Was I at just an off-night?

[midtowngym]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 1:01pm

I like you so far Shirley. You've got pluck! Just like Christina Applegate.

[magruder]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 1:13pm

I'm implying that when someone's first post out of the gate the day they sign up is to slam a show and a specific performer, I'm suspicious of their motives.

[Shirley Hemphill]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 1:15pm

poor poor Christina... i do hope she's feeling better soon.

This past wednesday, i kept praying one of the actresses in Steel Magnolias would break a limb...or better yet, recite their lines correctly or with at least a little effort.

Additionally, is it just me or are theatre seats way too damn small? I guarantee you Marsha Mason & Delta Burke could not comfortably enjoy their own show in those teeny tiny tight seats...

[Matt_G]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 1:18pm

Lovely.

[Shirley Hemphill]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 1:26pm

No suspicion is neccessary -- YES i signed up to slam an awful performance! Well...actually more to see if anyone else agreed with me... I'm not a Steel-Magnolias-Hater trying to stir up trouble -- I'm a customer who feels ripped off by a very poor performance. I'm sorry I didn't register here 16 months ago & post 15,000 messages prior to my bad experience the other night... would that make my problem with the show more legitimate?

[magruder]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 3:03pm

So, write to the show's management if you feel so victimized. And I do give more credibility to anyone who has been posting here for a while, over someone who appears out of nowhere to go after a performer so directly, even going so far as to question whether she has had a stroke. The fact you registered today doesn't make your claims any less legitimate, but it still does make me wonder about your intentions.

[robbiej]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 3:07pm

And the screen name is just a little too in-the-know...know what I'm saying, mags?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 3:10pm

And the fact that you kicked it up a notch in the "wishing they'd break a limb" post just crosses over from "I didn't like the performance" to "I have an agenda."

[Shirley Hemphill]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 3:43pm

ok clearly many of you cannot take a joke -- and cannot comprehend when I am exaggerating...

I was never seriously suggesting Ms. Burke has had an actual STROKE! jeeeez.

I also was not seriously wishing anyone break any limbs!

I am however, concerned about a play with so many talented actresses giving less than stellar performances. I have no idea if it's been like that every night or if it'll be repaired by opening night. All I know is the night I went was a huge disapointment -- for myself and for all 6 of the people I attended with.

Yes there was laughter coming from our mouths, and from most of the people in the theatre -- but the reaction was not what you might expect from a proven, well-written show with a cast full of several Broadway vets.

As for all this "I have an agenda" crap -- What agenda do you think I have? I want to know if anyone else noticed what a mess the show was that night... I'm not trying to hurt ticket sales or whatever you might think...

As I said earlier, i DO hope it was a fluke, and i DO hope it's fixed asap -- and I do hope their personal tragedy will not affect Annelle's ability to do good hair.

HOLLA. Updated On: 3/18/05 at 03:43 PM

[magruder]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 4:06pm

How and why should we know a thing about your sense of humor and whether you are "exaggerating" or not if you made your very first post on this board today at 12:31 PM? Unless you are not really a new poster?

Updated On: 3/18/05 at 04:06 PM

[Shirley Hemphill]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 4:36pm

i assure you, this is my first time posting here - under ANY name...

so...back to the topic at hand... Rebecca Gayheart's short Shelby wig is so much more realistic than Julia Roberts...isn't that wonderful news?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 4:45pm

^ disgruntled hair and make-up intern from Rastar Pictures circa 1988.

[Shirley Hemphill]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 5:28pm

haHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA brilliant.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 5:32pm

I LOVE me some Shirley Hemphill -- shes my favorite 80s sitcom star right up there with Kathy the quadriplegic in the wheelchair from Diff'rent Strokes! Freeze Turkey!

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 5:47pm

Well, I don't like anybody dissing Delta Burke. Ms Hemphil needs to get a clue, cuz Delta Burke is What's Happening

[Shirley Hemphill]

Posted: 3/18/05 at 5:54pm

Delta Burke is fabulous -- she just went onstage with a bar-b-q chicken drumstick hangin outta her mouth on wednesday night. at least that's what it sounded like.




don't get smallpox.

[Broadway Baby3]

Posted: 3/21/05 at 12:47pm

I saws the show on Wednesday 3/16 and agree whole-heartedly. My first thought (and others around me whom I did not know voiced the same opinion) was that Delta Burke was heavily medicated.

I thought Frances Sternhagen was the bright spot in the show. And Christina Ebersole, whom I thought did well for nost of the show, was completely flat when describing Shelby's death, which was so powerful in the movie delivered by Sally Field. That whole scene in this show was so lacking in emotion, that at first, I was confused as to whether or not Shelby was already dead.

The critics are going to destroy Delta Burke unless something changes before April 6.....

[Matt_G]

Posted: 3/21/05 at 12:51pm

New screenname, Shirley?