Gilbert Comes Home To "Little House"

Actress Who Rose To Fame As Laura In TV Drama Plays Her Ma Onstage

(AP)  After Gilbert worked on her singing, she asked Zambello to come listen to her. Gilbert said she wanted Zambello's approval before joining the cast. The director said Gilbert had raw talent but needed to work on her technique.

"You're always looking for actors who offer multiple layers to roles," Zambello said. "She was interested and had never been in a musical. It was a big challenge for her to rediscover the stories but from a completely different angle."

Gilbert reveals details of Ma's past in "Wild Child," a song that leads into the show's finale. Her Ma stands on equal footing with Pa, who lifts and twirls her as they dance.

"There are references to Ma not being all that prim and proper," Gilbert said. "It's a much different relationship than it was in the television show. ... The relationship between Ma and Pa is much sparkier. In pictures they're always touching."

The Guthrie production won't be the first musical based on the "Little House" books.

"Laura's Memories" has been performed for about three decades in Mansfield, Mo., where the author settled with her husband and daughter and wrote her books. That musical covers Laura's life from early childhood to starting her own family, and it draws crowds every summer.

"It's not only the history - it's the wholesomeness of it," said Becky Dierksen of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum in Mansfield. "And I think that these days, that's kind of hard to come by."

Gilbert, who lives in the Los Angeles area, has been staying with her 12-year-old son on a lake near Minneapolis this summer. The actress said she has invited other cast members over to barbecue and watch movies, although she nixed a screening of old "Little House on the Prairie" episodes. ("Oh no. Ouch.")

Newcomer Lindsay said that she, too, wanted some distance from the TV show so she could create her own Laura. She said Gilbert has refrained from giving her advice on the character.

"I think it would make it uncomfortable," Lindsay said. "She's trying to discover Ma and I'm trying to discover Laura, and she's just letting me do that.

"She'll just be there to nod her head and encourage me. She doesn't push anything on me at all."

Gilbert's return to "Little House on the Prairie" is also feeding into an autobiography she plans to publish next year. She said memories of the TV show and colleagues such as Michael Landon have come flooding back during rehearsals; tears have followed. She exchanged e-mails with Karen Grassle, the TV Ma.

In fact, Gilbert - who has had a steady career in TV movies since her "Little House" days - said she never tried to escape being identified as Laura, except during a brief coming-of-age period when she yearned to establish herself as an independent young woman (not unlike the struggle Laura went through on TV). She played the character from ages 9 to 19.

"How horrible can it be to be remembered for something that's beloved and iconic?" she said.

"It's not all of who I am, but it's part of who I am and it's part of my history, too. I can't really deny it."

[keithle1]

Actresses over 40 have to scramble for work. It ain''t easy. Milk everything you get for all it''s worth, girl.

[ajaxrose1]

The article doesn''t mention the place where Laura actually wrote the Little House books. Mansfield, MO. The farm where Laura and Almanzo settled with little Rose. There are two houses there. The one they from when they first came to MO and the one Rose bought for them when she was grown. The older house is now a museum, filled with the most wonderful Little House memorabilia you can imagine. In town there''s a retirement home that has apple trees planted from the seeds of Almanzo''s apple trees. They hand out apples during the festival they hold every year to commemorate the Wilders. If you ever get to Missouri and you''re a Laura fan, you should absolutely make the trip to see the place. It''s not much different than when they lived there and it''s stunning. As much as I loved the show Laura''s real life was so much more interesting.

[sociald63]

melissa is still HOT-looking

[jackette-2009]

whiskyrokkr

without saying 1 cuss word. Imagine that.
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Yes but when a "cuss word" was said (or thier version of it) one always got into trouble.

[tootsie1963]

I MISS MICHAEL LANDON.....HE WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITES....TAKEN WAY TOO SOON!!!!!

[whiskyrokkr]

patriot12436
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You are correct sir. You don''t see shows like this on TV anymore.Alway''s had a good life lesson to be learned on every show without saying 1 cuss word. Imagine that.

[patriot12436]

Too bad we didn''t have more family shows like this one. A true clasic.

[insideiam]

That is so sweet... I never missed a show... Loved it...