What female baby boomer can forget Steel Magnolias, the blockbuster 1989 movie about the heartwarming friendship between six strong Southern ladies?
Or the cemetery scene when Sally Fields, who played the mother of the dying Shelby Eatenton (Julia Roberts), breaks down crying and screaming and then bursts out laughing when Olivia Dukakis' character tells her to punch Ouiser Boudreaux (Shirley MacLaine)?
You can revisit all of your favourite characters as the Gateway Theatre presents Steel Magnolias, opening Friday, Oct. 7 on the MainStage.
The News sat down in some authentic circa 1960s hairdressing chairs to chat with actress Dolores Drake.
The seasoned actress of screen and stage spoke about the play and her character, Truvy Jones, the witty, lovable hairdresser who owns the salon, Truvy's Beauty Shop.
Every Saturday, her friends/clients come to have their hair done.
"This is actually a remount with the same cast that performed at the Chemainus Theatre Festival in the spring," said Drake, who is reviving Dolly Parton's movie role.
"Not many people realize that Steel Magnolias is based on a true story.
Playwright, Robert Harling, wrote the play to honour his sister, who died of diabetes complications, weeks after her death."
Set in 1984, in the era of big hair and shoulder pads, in small town Chinquapin, Louisiana, the story revolves around six Southern belles who are at once quite feminine and strong.
"The title, Steel Magnolias, stands for strong like steel and magnolias for the famous blooms of the south," said Drake, who hails from Newfoundland and moved to B.C. to pursue an acting career more than 25 years ago.
"The play follows their friendship over a year and it unfolds in a funny, witty and sometimes deeply moving way."
As Truvy, Drake is on stage actually doing hair and a manicure, for pretty much the whole play (which runs nearly two hours).
Truvy is a 40-something married hair stylist who loves her clients, many of whom are her close friends.
"It's so much fun for me as I'm really busy actually working on stage and I have lots of dialogue," said the Studio 58 alumni.
When the director, Nicola Cavendish, first approached her last year, Drake said she didn't hesitate.
"I responded right away with 'yes, yes and yes,'" she said with a laugh. "I knew right off Nicola wanted me for Truvy.
"I think I have a similar personality to Truvy . we are both outgoing, friendly, warm and we are both a woman's woman."
It didn't hurt that Drake is also a professionally trained hair stylist.
However, Drake did have to work on her Southern drawl.
"When we performed the first time, a voice coach who spent time in the South, came in to teach us," she said. "I also watched southern movies and listened to dialect tapes."
"A southerner in the audience at Chemainus told us our accents were really good," Drake added.
When a movie has A-lister actresses in it - in this case, MacLaine, Fields, Parton and Dukakis, to name a few - it can be difficult for others to look past these performances and for actresses to create a character of their own.
However, Drake said, if the reception they received in Chemainus is any indication, the cast members have nothing to worry about.
Unlike the movie, Drake went on to say, the only characters in the play are the women. The family members are spoken about but never seen, as they were in the hit movie.
Also, the whole play takes place within the confines of the beauty palour.
"The wit between these women is sharp, warm and extremely funny," she added.
Drake is really enjoying rehearsals with her former cast mates.
"It's a gift, a luxury really to revisit a great story line," she said. "Hopefully, the goal this time around is adding richness and more layers to our characters."
In the end, Drake believes audiences will "want to spend more time with these ladies."
"It is a bittersweet and heartfelt story that really honours these women," she said, adding men love the play as well.
"There's lots of humour in this beautifully crafted play. Humour actually carries them through the tough spots."
The Gateway Theatre presents Robert Harling's Broadway hit, Steel Magnolias, opening Friday, Oct. 7 to 22 on the MainStage, 6500 Gilbert Rd.
For tickets or more information, call the Box Office at 604-270-1812 or visit www.gatewaytheatre.com.
