STEEL MAGNOLIAS is set in a small town beauty parlor in Louisiana and follows the lives of several women who often meet there. The story pays particular attention to M’lynn and her daughter Shelby. Both a comedy and a tearjerker, there are eccentric characters galore. Steel Magnolias concerns the gossip and affection swapped at a beauty shop in Natchitoches, Louisiana, as the daughter of a beloved customer heads toward marriage and motherhood. Prior to its long run at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, Steel Magnolias originated in New York at the WPA Theatre. The Broadway cast was lead by Christine Ebersole (M'Lynn), Delta Burke (Truvy), Rebecca Gayheart (Shelby), Marsha Mason (Ouiser), Lily Rabe (Anelle), and Frances Sternhagen (Clairee).