Steel Magnolias - The Play, the Film and Dolly

Like so many of you, I continue to mourn the loss of Dolly Parton, a woman who was truly among the best of us. And like many of you, her passing has afforded me the opportunity to revisit some of her terrific films over the past weeks, like 9 to 5 and my personal favorite, Steel Magnolias. 

Steel Magnolias

The Play, the Film and Dolly

In a recent re-watch of that movie, it got me to thinking about my long history with the property, first with a national tour of the original off-Broadway production, then, of course, the film, and later, when I saw its all-star Broadway debut. In addition to that, I actually had the opportunity to direct a production of Robert Harling's semi-autobiographical play, so I am pretty well versed in all things to do with the ladies of Chinquapin Parish. Often, I am asked about how the play and the movie compare. That is both a simple and complicated answer.

Simply, I love both versions for different reasons. They both hit that sweet spot of "laughter through tears." And they are both full of characters I would love to know in real life. Both also resonate with me because I have a sister who I love so dearly, and I know I'd feel devastated if I were to lose her. Mr. Harling felt a pain I hope I never have to feel, and I'm so grateful that he took that pain and made it into a work of art.

Loving the play version has evolved for me. The first time I saw it, it was a fresh experience - the film hadn't come out yet - so the story was full of surprises, both happy and sad. I remember specifically, that the end of the first act left us knowing that M'Lynn and Shelby were going into surgery, and that the start of the second act involved the ladies coming in to Truvy's beauty parlor preparing for a funeral. You didn't know who died - there were references only to "she" - just that one of them didn't make it. That is until M'Lynn walked in. Then you knew. The gasp and sniffles all around me (myself included) are seared into my memory. 

Next, the film came out, and I reveled in the beauty of the scenery, the way the movie was expanded to include all the things the play only discussed, and the interesting juxtaposition between the women I was already familiar with and the men in their lives. The addition of the new material actually enhanced the experience. Seeing Shelby's brothers crying and shattered by their sister's death hit me hard. But it was also fun to actually see Ouiser's dog, to watch Drum and the boys try to shoot the birds out of the trees, to see the church bathed in pink, to actually see the gray icing on the groom's cake... I could go on and on. And I appreciated that Robert Harling is in the film, playing the minister who married and later buried Shelby. How he must have felt...

Then seeing it on Broadway years later, was another experience altogether. Seeing another group of amazing actresses perform the play was a treat of course, but there was no longer the element of surprise. And, though I knew every line by heart, it was disconcerting to hear people around me saying the lines with the actresses on stage. My mouth was shut! Still, laughter through tears is my favorite emotion, and I still wept in my seat.

So... back to Dolly. When I saw the national tour production, the role of Truvy was played by the original - Margo Martindale. She was wonderful, a Southern lady with a no nonsense streak and a certain air of weariness and resignation. You wanted to fight for her and hug her hard at the same time. On Broadway, Delta Burke was Truvy, and she was, well, Delta Burke just like you'd expect her to be. A slightly softer Suzanne Sugarbaker, which was fine, if not exactly right. But on film, Dolly being Dolly was perfection. There was enough acting in the role that it wasn't like watching "Dolly Parton," but I also found myself hoping that that's really how she was! Sassy, smart as a whip, and full of love. I'm not being sentimental when I say that she is my favorite Truvy.

On a final side note, I have to say I love seeing all the social media posts of people making "Dolly's Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa" recipe (with vanilla ice cream to cut the sweetness, naturally). I think she'd be delighted, but I'm also sure she'd be quick to point out that the recipe isn't hers, it belongs to Steel Magnolias. Of course, Dolly will always be the definition of a steel magnolia. I don't know about the rest of you, but I miss her so much.

Broadway and the Kennedy Center Honors

Tuesday, the 2010 recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors were announced, and this year Broadway had a direct connection to all but one of them.  Not bad!  The awards honor individuals who have made a lifelong and lasting contribution to the performing arts in the United States.

All told, the Kennedy Center Honors are a pretty big deal, with recipients receiving their medals from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a State Department dinner, and they will be received just prior to the show by none other than the President of the United States Barack Obama, which, no matter what you think of him or his politics, is still a pretty big deal.  And if you really can't put aside politics, at least they also get to meet the First Lady Michelle Obama, who, if nothing else, has been setting an excellent example for her daughters and the public at large by attending several Broadway shows during her first year.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

2006 Honoree and Broadway Gal,

Dolly Parton with her medallion

Anyway, the honorees and their connections to Broadway are:

Jerry Herman, Composer and Lyricist of several Broadway shows, including 3 whose first runs were all over 1500 performances: Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles.  For a long time, that was an untouchable record.  He is now joined by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Schwartz for that fete.  But no one can touch his show, La Cage aux Folles, three times produced and three times Best Musical or Musical Revival.  Other shows include Mack and Mabel, Dear World, and Milk and Honey.

Bill T. Jones, Director, Choreographer.  Jones won the Tony for his choreography for Spring Awakening and Fela!   He was nominated for Best Book of a Musical and Best Direction of a Musical for the latter.  He is being honored for his outstanding and long-term work in the art of dance.

Sir Paul McCartney, Song Writer.  He has contributed songs to THREE Broadway shows: Beatlemania!, Lennon, and Rock 'N Roll! The First 5000 Years.  Of course, he is being honored for a lifelong career in culture changing musicianship.

Oprah Winfrey, Producer.  She "presented" The Color Purple: the Musical on Broadway and on tour.  She is also a regular supporter of the bigger Broadway shows that come through Chicago, notably The Lion King.  Being the Queen of All Media, a zillionaire and a major philanthropist, is what she is being honored for.

Only singer and songwriter Merle Haggard has no direct connection to Broadway or the theatre.

The State Dinner and Medallion Ceremony will be held December 4, and the gala performance and White House Reception on December 5.  CBS will televise the show on December 28.

Congratulations to all of the honorees!


Jeff
2.11

Goodbye Girls

It is a somber feeling when a show closes. And this weekend, 9 to 5: The Musical closes up its corporate offices to hit the road sometime next year. Rumor has it that it lost all or nearly all of its $14M investment. Was it great? No. Was it fun? Absolutely. As a fan of the movie, I enjoyed it quite a bit, as line after line and scene after scene reminded me of the film I so love.

So why didn't it work? A lot of people blame the dated quality of it. Hogwash! Does that mean that Les Miz is dated because it includes the antiquated notion of being jailed for stealing bread? No. Well, 9 to 5 has been labeled such for its outdated notion of women in the workplace and sexual harassment. Um, it takes place in 1979, folks. If the jokes about a Xerox machine and an electric typewriter can be funny for their old-fashioned-ness, why not jokes that clearly paint the bad guy bad? Cringing at lines about "getting my hands on those double-D's" and being a "typewriter with tits" is, I think what the authors (women, both) were going for. And as for universality, who can't relate to a having a boss you hate or not liking the new employee or not getting the credit you deserve in the work place?

I think it failed mostly because it didn't take advantage of theatrical conventions instead of putting on a near replica of the movie adding only songs (for the record, pun intended, I like Dolly Parton's score a lot, and play some of the songs frequently - "Around Here" is one catchy ditty!). The best screen to stage adaptations embrace those things which a movie can't do... look at the staging of The Lion King or Hairspray or Thoroughly Modern Millie. Hits and Tony winners, all. And none a faithful recreation of the movie from which they came.

JK Liked:
- The stars of the show: Allison Janney, Megan Hilty, Stephanie J. Block, Marc Kudisch and scene stealer Kathy Fitzgerald.
- The score by delicious little Dolly Parton, especially: “Around Here,” “Rise Like the Sun,” “Get Out and Stay Out,” and, of course, “9 to 5.”
- The few scenes that broke the film mold – “Heart to Hart,” the opening number, “9 to 5,” and the theatrical way the marijuana hallucinations were presented.

JK Disliked:
- No risks were taken in making the script more theatrical.
- Joe Mantello’s bland, pedestrian staging.
- Andy Blankenbeuhler’s disappointing choreography – repetitive, nothing new.
- The giant electric board that substituted for scenery – distracting and way out of place modern for what is now a vintage time period, 1979.

It is sad to see so many folks losing a job on Labor Day weekend; talk about irony. I have a feeling, though, that 9 to 5: The Musical will play well in middle America, and hopefully recoup some of its money. They could have saved a bundle just eliminating that light wall. I bet that won’t travel.

JK

(Photos by Joan Marcus)