Too often, in the Twin Cities, we take the tremendous poolof local artistic talent we have in this community for granted. There seems tobe this belief that if a performer really was any good they would be in New York or Hollywood– not plying their trade on the stages of Minneapolisand St. Paul. Frequently we losesome of this talent to the coasts where, occasionally, some of these artists meet with great success. Rarely, following great success, do we see themreturn to the Midwest. How fortunate we are that LindaKelsey is an exception. And how great it is to see her back on the stage of theGuthrie Theater where she honed her craft nearly four decades ago. Longtime theater-lovers remember a summer production on the University of Minnesota Centennial Showboatthat brought together two young actresses who would both gain early fame fortheir work in television, Linda Kelsey and Loni Anderson. Linda would leave thestages of the U of M to join the Guthrie Theater as a McKnight Fellow. Aftertwo seasons at the Guthrie and a stint at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater, Lindaleft the Twin Cities for Los Angeleswhere she landed guest appearances on classic television series like "MASH" andthe "Mary Tyler Moore Show."

In 1977, Linda joined the cast of a new series called "LouGrant," a dramatic spin-off of the "Mary Tyler Moore Show." During its fiveseasons on the air "Lou Grant" would become the top-rated program ontelevision, receive a Peabody awardand an Emmy award for "Outstanding Drama Series." For her role as a BillieNewman, a young reporter in the fictional newsroom, Linda would be nominatedfor five consecutive Emmy awards as "Outstanding Supporting Actress." Followingthe cancellation of "Lou Grant" there would be other series in Linda'stelevision career, followed by guest appearances on shows like "E.R." and"Murder, She Wrote."

In the 1990s, Linda returned to the area with her family andfound work on many stages – appearing most frequently at Park Square Theater inSt. Paul. And now, she is back –center stage – starring with other veterans of the Guthrie Theater includingBarbara Bryne, Peter Michael Goetz and Sally Wingert, in a comedy just perfectfor a summer's evening, When We Are Married by J.B. Priestley. Lindashines as one of three married women who, instead of celebrating their 25thwedding anniversaries with their husbands, discover they aren't really marriedat all. It is, we can only hope, the first of many future productions at theGuthrie Theater featuring our very own, Linda Kelsey.

Now, since T.R. Knight has left "Gray's Anatomy," if wecould only get him back to the Guthrie stage as well.