A flock of fabulous women are assembling to gossip down at Truvy's beauty shop. Annie Potts, Tony nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger, Tony winner Blythe Danner and more will take part in a 25th anniversary reading of Robert Harling's Steel Magnolias. The Heiress star Judith Ivey will direct the one-night-only event at the Lucille Lortel Theatre on December 3.
Potts will take on the role of M’Lynn and Keenan-Bolger will play her daughter Shelby. Tony winner Margo Martindale, who played Truvy in the original Steel Magnolias production, will take on the role of Ouiser. Sarah Stiles (Into the Woods, On a Clear Day...) will play Annelle. Additional casting will be announced soon.
Steel Magnolias first premiered off-Broadway at the WPA Theatre on March 28, 1987 and transferred to the Lucille Lortel later that year. The anniversary reading will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and will be supported by the honorary committee comprised of the cast of the 1989 film adaptation: Olympia Dukakis (Clairee), Sally Field (M’Lynn), Daryl Hannah (Annelle), Shirley MacLaine (Ouiser), Dolly Parton (Truvy) and Julia Roberts (Shelby).
Lifetime TV recently aired a made-for-TV adaptation of Steel Magnolias. The film was directed by Kenny Leon and starred Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad, Condola Rashad, Alfre Woodard, Jill Scott and Adepero Oduye.