SALLY MAYES
What a cast has been assembled for the new musical Good Ol' Girls, which begins a limited engagement Feb. 8 in The Black Box Theatre at Manhattan's Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre! Penned by Lee Smith and Jill McCorkle and adapted by Paul Ferguson, the production features songs by Nashville hit-makers Matraca Berg (Reba McEntire, Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill) and Marshall Chapman (Jimmy Buffett, Wynonna, Olivia Newton-John) and is described as "a musical about love, loss and laughter . . . [which] celebrates childhood through old age with big hair and bigger hearts." Directed by Randal Myler, the all-female cast boasts original Company star Teri Ralston, Spamalot, Side Show and recent Vanities actress Lauren Kennedy (Spamalot), Liza Vann (Machiavelli), Gina Stewart ("Dawson's Creek") and She Loves Me Tony Award nominee Sally Mayes. The latter, of course, has also been seen on Broadway in the revival of Steel Magnolias, the film-to-stage musical Urban Cowboy and Cy Coleman's Welcome to the Club (Theatre World Award, Outer Critics Circle nomination)

Listen to Sally discuss her favorite theater experiences.

as well as Off-Broadway in Closer Than Ever (Outer Critics nomination), Das Barbecü, Pete 'n' Keely (Drama Desk nomination) and Dirty Blonde (first national tour). Mayes, who boasts a thrilling voice that easily switches from Broadway belter to jazz baby (just listen to her thrilling renditions of "I've Been Here Before" and "Miss Byrd" on the original cast recording of Closer Than Ever ), has also released several critically acclaimed solo discs, including "Valentine," "The Dorothy Fields Songbook," "Our Private World: The Comden and Green Songbook," "The Story Hour" and "Boys and Girls Like You and Me." I recently had the chance to chat with the gifted artist, who spoke about her latest role as well as her many other stage outings; that interview follows:

	Sally Mayes and George Dvorsky in Pete 'n' Keely

Question: How did you get involved in Good Ol' Girls?
Sally Mayes: My agent called and said, "Do you wanna go in for this?" I said, "What is it?" She told me about it and I said, "Well, I'm always on a quest to find well-written Southern women, and that's rare." So I went in and I sang for them, and they were lovely. They asked me to read a couple of things, and I did, and that was lovely. The script was nice. When they offered it to me, I said, "Sure." I had been staying home with my son and letting my husband work. [He was in] Ragtime, Pete 'n' Keely, Producers, Curtains, Young Frankenstein. He's had a show for like 12 years. So I work when the money's really good or when it's something that I'm really passionate about doing, but most of the time I turn stuff down. I'm very picky. I'm not lazy, but I'm very, very picky. I've been turning stuff down for years! [Laughs.] My agents are going, "Yay, she wants to work!" So I took it. My husband's home right now, and he said, "Why don't you go do this?" So I'm doing it. I'm trying to say yes to everything this year. That's my New Year's resolution — within reason.

Question: How old is your son now?
Mayes: He's 13, so it's okay if I want to go to work. He enjoys the theatrical environment, too. He likes to come with me to the theatre, and he likes to go with me when I go out of town in the summer. He likes theatrical people. He's very creative and groovy himself, so he likes to be around those folk. It's a good life. [Laughs.]

Question: Are you playing several different characters?
Mayes: I'm playing a lot of different characters, yes. That's more fun, you know! [Laughs.] And it's crazy because we've got so much to learn right now. We're all like, "Oh, my God, I've gotta memorize a two-page monologue!" I can't say enough about Randy Myler, the director. He's one of those directors that listens to actors, and I think the world of him. And the cast… this is a world-class cast we have here.

Question: All women, right?
Mayes: All women, and every single one of them is just really strong. It's just so much fun to go to work every day.

Question: Do any of the characters yet stand out to you as a favorite?
Mayes: We are doing a scene in a nursing home. If you've ever had a parent who is getting older and they start to come in and out of dementia or Alzheimer's or just senility… they'll be perfectly normal and then it will turn on a dime. I'm kind of really enjoying that scene, but all of my stuff is really well written. I haven't been working on it long enough to pick a favorite yet. But I like them all. I get to sing a blues song, I like that. They're just all saucy and funny and salty and down-to-earth and ladylike. It's gonna be a really interesting evening. It's really Southern. I don't know how it will be looked at in New York, but I think it'll be fine. I think they're gonna really relate.

Question: Tell me a little bit more about the score.
Mayes: It's very, very traditional country, but it's got a little bit of zydeco and a little bit of blues and bluegrass. It's got a lot of different elements to it. The lyrics are just stunningly beautiful, and the music is haunting, some of it. It's a really nice score. I'm totally enjoying singing with these ladies, and we're just having a high old time over there.

Question: Is there any talk of a cast recording?
Mayes: I'm hopeful we'll do it. I hope it's a big old fat hit and they'll move it somewhere and keep it going for a long time. This is something that a lot of different women could be in, something that could go on for a long time. There are a lot of different women that I know personally who could be in it. [Laughs.] I hope we do a cast album. That would be fun.

Question: The last time you were on Broadway was also with an all-woman cast, in Steel Magnolias. What's your recollection of that experience?
Mayes: Oh my goodness, it was an amazing experience. To get to stand on the stage with Frances Sternhagen, first of all… just that alone is enough to make your event. But I also got to be onstage with Marsha Mason and Chris Ebersole and Delta Burke and Rebecca Gayheart and Lily Rabe, who is genius-ly talented. It was a great experience. The only thing that was hard about it was when I stood by for Delta, she didn't always give me a lot of notice. [Laughs.] At seven o'clock, "You're on!" So that was kinda crazy, but I gotta tell you it was a great experience. [Director] Jason Moore is such a wonderful guy. It was just a very warm environment to work in. I loved it. I loved every minute of it. Continued...