Julie Yolles Finds Southern Comfort in Dixie

Julie Yolles as Dinah Grayson, Esquire

Julie Yolles may be from Birmingham, Michigan, but she’s been in so many “Southern” plays that you might think she’s from Birmingham, Alabama instead.  As she says, “I guess I’m becoming a ‘Southern’ veteran, having been in Miracle Worker, Steel Magnolias, Last Night of Ballyhoo and now the Dixie Swim Club.” In Dixie, five women -- teammates on their college swim team -- reunite every August at a North Carolina beach house for a girls-only weekend that is always full of fun, fights, and twists of fate.

In her first role with the Farmington Players, Julie plays Dinah Grayson, a fast-talking, wise-cracking, hard-boiled attorney who is never far from her martini glass. Julie contrasts her character with herself: “As Dinah, I am supposed to be a very ‘seasoned’ drinker, shall we say.  In ‘real life,’ I’m a cheap date. I don’t drink at all, except regular Coke, which I’m trying to give up daily.  So, now, I need to find myself a handsome professional bartender to show me how to mix the ultimate martini and screwdriver onstage, while staying in character, with a Southern accent and timing my lines correctly.”

Despite their differences, Julie does have one thing in common with Dinah: “I do have my varsity letter in synchronized swimming from Southfield-Lathrup High School.” Some of her talent must have been passed on to her daughter, Madison, who is a state champion on her synchronized swim team, the Troy Synchro Sharkettes.

Julie says she “hit the jackpot” with the Farmington Players.  “I couldn’t have asked for a nicer, more talented, friendly and welcoming cast and crew.  It’s a pleasure and honor, as our director Tim Timmer and A.D. Rick Mickley always say, to share the stage and backstage with them.” Julie says that Dixie’s all-male directing team makes it “intriguing and fun to get that male perspective on the female psyche.”

One challenge facing all the characters is to age 33 years on stage, but Julie is even incorporating that into her role: “I’m having many a ‘senior moment,’ which could be a good thing for my character as there are so many lines to learn and it doesn’t come as easily as it did in the old—or should I say younger—days.”

Julie’s favorite roles include Sylvie in the Female Odd Couple, Aunt Gert in Lost in Yonkers, Chris in Rumors, Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show, Rita in The Vast Difference, Annelle in Steel Magnolias, Pfeni in Sisters Rosensweig, Electra in Gypsy, Lala in Last Night of Ballyhoo, Minnie Faye in Hello Dolly and Virginia in Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up.  By day, Julie is the Social Scene Columnist for the Observer & Eccentric newspapers, a Features Writer for Styleline magazine and a freelancer.

The Dixie Swim Club runs October 5th – 27th.  Reserved seats for this comedy sponsored by Mall, Malisow & Cooney, P.C. are available now at farmingtonplayers.org or at the box office (248) 553-2955.