Q: Hey Laura, what's your One Cool Thing this week?
A: This week I'm talking about one of my all-time favorite performances at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. While yes, the Guthrie is in the throes of "A Christmas Carol" season right now, there's another show playing until December 15th that is not to be missed. Steel Magnolias. Most people are familiar with the 1989 movie starring Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton and Olympia Dukakis, but the play actually came first.
Q: What's it about?
A: Without giving it all away, the show pretty much entirely takes place inside Truvy's Salon in a small Louisiana town in the 1980's, which, as you might imagine, is much more than a salon to this small group of wildly different women. They clash, they love, they gossip, they cry, and they speak to all of us in some way, all the while forming bonds as strong as "steel," which carry them through when tragedy strikes. It's funny, sad, real, and resonates today as much as it did 30 years ago.
Q: You got to spend some time with one of the show's leads, acclaimed actress Sally Wingert. Tell us about that.
A: Having the opportunity to chat with Sally is one of the highlights of my career. I've long admired her work, and getting to hang out in her dressing room after a show, drinking tea, chatting, laughing at her frumpy 1980's costumes, and watching her transform from her character Ouiser back into Sally is an experience I will never forget. We've included the unedited audio of my visit with her below and I hope people will listen and feel like they were right there in the dressing room with us!
You can find more information on the Guthrie's website at guthrietheater.org. There are tickets available for remaining shows through December 15, as well as for the Guthrie's longtime holiday classic "A Christmas Carol."
Laura Oakes' One Cool Thing: Steel Magnolias at the Guthrie is 'not to be missed' 1
Laura Oakes' One Cool Thing: Steel Magnolias at the Guthrie is 'not to be missed' 2
Photo by Dan Norman / Courtesy of The Guthrie Theatre Laura Oakes' One Cool Thing: Steel Magnolias at the Guthrie is 'not to be missed' 3
Photo by Dan Norman / Courtesy of The Guthrie Theatre Laura Oakes' One Cool Thing: Steel Magnolias at the Guthrie is 'not to be missed' 4
Laura Oakes' One Cool Thing: Steel Magnolias at the Guthrie is 'not to be missed' 5
Photo by Dan Norman.
