Quotable Quotes: Meeting the Beauties of B'way's Upcoming Steel Magnolias

Who: The cast of Broadway's Steel Magnolias: Delta Burke, Christine Ebersole, Rebecca Gayheart, Marsha Mason, Lily Rabe and Frances Sternhagen, as well as playwright Robert Harling and director Jason Moore

What: A press meet and greet during the first week of rehearsals

Where: Trattoria Doppo Teatro

When: Tuesday, February 15, 2005

"Sisterhood! It's all powerful."--Christine Ebersole

"I'm learning a lot, and I'm keeping my mouth shut."--Director Jason Moore on his approach for working with an all-female cast.

"Oh, it's wonderful, but I like being in a cast of anybody. If the play is good, I don't care who's in it. If they're good actors, good material, I'm ready to go."--Frances Sternhagen

"Oh God, I was thrilled! I was so thrilled! First of all, I was thrilled that they asked me back to Broadway!"--Delta Burke on her reaction when she found out she got the role of Truvy

"She's a real irascible curmudgeon. She is really crusty and difficult. She's really irascible."--Marsha Mason describing her character, Ouiser

"I'm learning. I've been learning, and I'm sure there's a lot more to learn."--Lily Rabe being a newcomer to Broadway

"The play is both warm and funny, and it's also about serious things and it's about life and death. And it's about relationships and time passing and generational issues and it's about women, so it's really fascinating." --Marsha Mason

"I was just thinking how wonderful it is to be in a play that is so authentic. It's about people that the author knew and knows, and all these people have such a sense of humor. It's just wonderful in the face of what happens in the play, but nonetheless, it's very funny."--Frances Sternhagen

"It has such a positive thing to say about the process of grieving. That life goes on, that you have a support group, that you have a nurturing network of people that help you through hard times, and that is a really special message. And the fact that it's funny just makes it that much memorable."--Jason Moore

"I think it's about how love transcends death. I really think so. It really hones in on the suffering of the human condition and how love can help you transcend that."--Christine Ebersole

"I want it to be a celebration of strong women and I guess the bonding is just part of the whole process. I'm glad it's received that way."--Playwright Robert Harling on how the play promotes female bonding

"This play is really intense in a way, and it's really fun in a way, so with all of those dynamics I don't think there's a possibility of us not bonding."--Rebecca Gayheart

"Hormones, looks, ghosts. Ghosts we have known or not known and various things that everybody knows about these days and people don't talk about very much."--Frances Sternhagen on what the ladies of Steel Magnolias have talked about to get to know one another

"I love it with all the women because you just kind of share stories and there's a camaraderie there."--Delta Burke

"I think that the women are going to be a little trickier actually, because at least the puppets I can put in a cabinet at the end, and if I did that to one of these women, I would never hear the end of it."--Jason Moore comparing his work on Avenue Q to Steel Magnolias

"I have to have my hair washed eight times a week on stage and set. Wow! I hope it doesn't fall out. I really do."--Christine Ebersole on having her hair done onstage

"I think to have people's hair actually done onstage is unusual and great and hilarious and... scary."--Lily Rabe

"Now, teasing, poofing and spraying? That I can do with my eyes closed."--Delta Burke on having to do hair onstage

"Everyday it's going to be a fun ride. I can't wait." --Jason Moore