Steel Magnolias

[LindyLee]

Posted: 1/3/09 at 10:22pm

I'm watching Steel Magnolias on the TV and thought I'd look up the play. I was surprised to see that the play wasn't until 2005. I thought it came before the movie. Anyway...did anyone see Steel Magnolias on the stage, and was it good? Just curious.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/3/09 at 10:35pm

That was a revival...with Rebecca Gayheart, I thought.

It was first on in the late 80's....I did it in 89 or 90.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/3/09 at 10:55pm

STEEL MAGNOLIAS began its life Off-Broadway in 1987. It was adapted into a film in 1989. The play made its Broadway debut in 2005 -- it was not a revival as it had never before appeared on Broadway.

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 and helps to announce each time span: the wedding, Christmas, Shelby's death, etc. All the other characters (like the male characters) that appear in the film version are only referred to in the dialogue (we never see them).
Updated On: 1/3/09 at 10:55 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/3/09 at 11:00pm

Thanks for the clarification! I knew I did it around the same time the movie came out....never realized it hadn't been a b'way show!

[LindyLee]

Posted: 1/3/09 at 11:30pm

Thanks for the explanations, yall! I didn't realize it was off-Broadway, and then just the women characters when it was on Broadway! Dramamama...what role did you play when you did it?

[mc1227]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 9:28pm

I saw it and wasn't very impressed by it. Of course, I had seen the movie first, so that certainly tainted my opinion. I loved the movie and the stage version was quite dull.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 9:59pm

Nicole Kidman did it in Australia.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 10:07pm

I loved the Broadway revival. It was a much more toned down representation of the piece than what people were used to from the movie. It felt much more human and empathetic to me than the movie. Marvelous performances from all six women, in my opinion.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 10:12pm

I played Shelby. Liked the role, didn't love it.

I'd love to play it again and play just about anyone. Obviously, I'm a bit too old to play her or Annelle (sp?).

[LindyLee]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 11:14pm

Dramamamma, that'd probably be awesome to play one of the other roles when you played Shelby so long ago. What a great experience!

Mr. Midwest...thanks for the Australia pictures!

I'm also thinking that it would be neat, but different, to see the stage version after seeing (and really liking) the movie.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 12:28am

LindyLee -- just wanted to correct your confusion.

The play NEVER had any other actors on stage aside from the 6 women. The Broadway production was exactly like the Off-Broadway production, just ON Broadway. They didn't rewrite the play for Broadway.

The original stage play (Off-Broadway AND Broadway) took place in the same location: Truvy's home beauty salon (there were no other sets). There was never any set changes or location changes -- to imply Christmas, the salon had Christmas decorations and their costumes reflected Christmas. You never saw Shelby's wedding -- you heard the women talk about it. You never saw Shelby in the hospital or her death -- you heard the women talk about it. You never saw any of the male characters --the women talked about them.

I hope this helped clear up your confusion as it sounded that you thought the original Off-Broadway production was a full scale production with male and female actors and sets and scenery, etc... but that they simplified it for its Broadway incarnation. Again... both the Off-Broadway AND Broadway productions were done the exact same way.

[DooWahDiddy]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 12:45am

You never saw Shelby's wedding -- you heard the women talk about it. You never saw Shelby in the hospital or her death -- you heard the women talk about it. You never saw any of the male characters --the women talked about them.

And THAT is why it didn't make a great play, IMO.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 10:22am

DOUBT did the same thing as a play.

You didn't see the child whose contact with the priest was the main plot point of the play.

He was just talked about. The incidents were just talked about.

That was changed for the movie.

That's the difference between theatre and film.

Theatre makes the audience use their minds and requires writers to WRITE effectively so that the audience is able to feel for the characters, whereas, in film, the audience needs to have the events shoved directly in their faces so that they don't have to bother using their minds.

[Usnavi]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 10:39am

"And THAT is why it didn't make a great play, IMO.

You are so wrong. STEEL MAGNOLIAS is an excellent play that is why it was adapted for the screen so quickly. It made an impact.
I saw the original production at the Lucille Lortel and I saw the film when it opened 2 years later and marveled at how wonderfully
the material was adapted for the screen. That it was successful as both a play and a movie speaks for itself.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 10:41am

Margo Martindale as Truvy in the original production gave one of all-time favorite performances. I've never forgotten it.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 11:38am

Similar scenario with HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH.

The original Off-Broadway production is basically a one-man show/concert with Hedwig talking to the audience and telling the entire story. The only other people on the small stage with him is his band: The Angry Inch. There are no sets, no other actors/roles, no scenery -- just a bare little club stage and Hedwig ranting his story with his band joining in on occasion and for the songs. The film-version visualized everything Hedwig only spoke about.

DRIVING MISS DAISY was exactly the same. The original play is only 2 actors on a bare stage. Telling the story. Nothing more; nothing less.

[DooWahDiddy]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 12:08pm

You are so wrong.

*shrug* I guess you missed the "IMO" part of my post.

[LindyLee]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 12:30pm

Thanks BrodyFosse....I understood about there only being six women on stage in both the Off Broadway and the Broadway, but I appreciate the further explanation none the same.