Albert Lea Community Theatre preps for its season opener, ‘Steel Magnolias’

(ABC 6 News) – You might remember one 80’s movie with Sally Field, Dolly Parton, and Julia Roberts. A classic for many, that story is now coming to the stage at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center.

As Albert Lea Community Theatre kicks off its 58th season, it’s also a new beginning for some of the actors and crews bringing the season opener to the stage. ‘Steel Magnolias’ is set in the 1980s and is about six women in a small town. Sharing gossip, and solving life’s problems at a local beauty salon.

“I love the heart, the friendship, the love these women have for each other. Then when the board decided they were gonna do it, I was like ‘Pick me, pick me, as a director, pick me!’ Because I just wanted to bring that friendship and love to the stage,” said Kris Bartley, the director of the show.

Bartley is back in the director’s chair for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s also a return for Heidi Stoltenberg. Her break from the stage has been more than 30 years. She’s playing ‘Truvy,’ Dolly Parton’s character in the movie.

“While creating my own Truvy, I’m also trying to embrace some of those things that make Dolly the ‘Love of America’ that she is,” explained Stoltenberg.

Taking a break to raise a family and work in pediatrics, Stoltenberg worked behind the scenes here and there. As her life changed, so did theatre.

“Obviously, the technology in theater is completely different.

“A screen behind the set instead of having to paint backdrops for every scene. Or have something that changes every scene that you have to create from the ground up, we can help create all of that digitally.”

Neither her nor Bartley rewatched the movie before rehearsals. As Bartley put it, she didn’t want to compare the two.

‘”I was afraid that if I watched the movie, I would do things like they did in that specific scene. Or it would mess with my head a little bit.”

It’s a favorite movie of Stoltenberg’s that is bringing her full circle.

“There’s that element of, expressing my artistic side. And that’s, the theater, and art have always been an important part of my soul. growing up. Currently, it’s a real treat to expand on, and fill up that part of who I am that I maybe haven’t touched on in a while.”

The show opens on Thursday, October 5 and tickets start at $15. For more information, you can click here.