Designing Women Stage Play to Debut This Summer in Arkansas

A theatrical adaptation of the fan-favorite '80s-'90s sitcom Designing Women, about four women who run a design firm, will take the stage this summer in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, who created the seven-season series, has penned the play, set to arrive at TheaterSquared beginning on August 12 for an engagement through September 13. A director for the world premiere will be announced soon.

The play is set in 2020, in Atlanta—where the series was set—as Sugarbaker's Design firm partners Julia, Suzanne, Mary Jo and Charlene—roughly the same age audiences last saw them—have become just as divided as the rest of the country. Sparked by the increasingly polarizing environment, the ladies' well-documented political and philosophical differences have finally driven them to the brink of selling the business and going their separate ways. As they negotiate and seek a delicate rapprochement, they will also have plenty to say about the tribalization of America, North vs. South, elites vs. non-elites, political correctness, out-of-control social media, Kardashian world dominance and the "Me Too" movement.

The series Designing Women debuted in 1986 and ran through 1993, featuring a cast that included Annie Potts, Jean Smart, Delta Burke and Dixie Carter. Over the course of its run, the show earned 18 Emmy nominations.

Following the Arkansas premiere of the stage play, TheatreSquared's production will transfer to Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Dallas Theater Center for runs in October and November.

Casting will be announced at a later date. Till then, look back at a scene from the series below.