Displaying items by tag: Robert Harling

In a departure to their oft musical-driven productions, Theater at the Center kicks of the 2018 season with the comedy-drama Steel Magnolias, Robert Harling’s 1987 play that became a blockbuster film directed by Herbert Ross just two years later.

Set in the deep South, in a northwestern Louisiana town, the play revolves around the bond between a handful of small-town women that frequent a local beauty salon, Truvy’s, whose owner is of the same name. Based on the premature death of Harling’s own sister caused by diabetes, the play’s character’s strength is tested as they struggle with the imminent and eventual loss of one of their own.

Run by Truvy Jones, Truvy’s Salon is seemingly the gossip hub of the town. Regulars such as the gleeful widow of the town’s former mayor, Clairee Belcherand, and Louisa "Ouiser" Boudreaux, the irritable and sardonic neighbor, often pop by whether getting their hair serviced or not – just to hear, or pass on, the latest. M’Lynn Eatenton and her daughter Shelby are also staples in the shop, Shelby now getting ready for her wedding day. At first it seems we are thrust into light-hearted beauty salon talk. Truvy loves to listen as much as she loves to dish out advice. Even though it mainly consists of neighborhood small talk, the dialogue is so rich and humorous, we can’t help but get pulled in. Quickly the characters become charming in their own ways; each personality so well-crafted in just the first scene. Minutes into the play, we feel we know them.

It’s Annelle Dupuy’s first day and she’s got a lot to take in.

Lighthearted soon goes to serious at the drop of a hat when Shelby falls into a hypoglycemic state while sitting in a salon chair. M’Lynn rushes to her aid with a juice box forcing her to drink the sugary liquid. From there theatre goers are on notice to proceed with caution – tear jerker coming.

As the story progresses, Truvy begins to look at Annelle as the daughter she never had, something they each so desperately seem to need. We watch Annelle grow from timid employee to becoming a confident woman. At the same time, an impending doom looms over the story concerning Shelby’s condition, especially when she announces she is pregnant – something doctors warned her against due to the strain it would cause on her body. Though greeted with a series of “congratulations” by each of the women, M’Lynn does not share the enthusiasm, knowing the risks that would be involved.

Linda Fortunato directs this production as smoothly as a gentle southern breeze that brushes against a Weeping Willow. The exceptionally well-acted play is really cut into four scenes, each one as engaging as its colorful characters. Theater at the Center favorite Cory Goodrich returns as M’Lynn Eatenton and powers her way through the complicated role displaying a much-needed warmth, concern and love for her daughter. Shelby is wonderfully played by actress Landree Flemming. We immediately connect with her, which makes us relate to her mother even more so. Heidi Kettenring successfully turns on the southern charm as Truvy and is extremely likeable in the role as the salon’s queen bee.

The cast is superb – all players adding just the right amount of personality to each character. Myesha-Tiara is finely-cast as Annelle, while veteran performers Joslyn Yvonne Jones as “Ouiser” and Jeannie Affelder as Clairee add the final touches that makes this such a powerhouse cast.

The three-quarters theatre-in-the-round staging give us an up close and personal peek into the well-constructed set that consists of Truvy’s in-home beauty salon complete with all the works, mists of hairspray and all.

Women as strong as steel yet as fragile as the magnolia flower, the title suggests we can all be broken yet each one of us has the inner strength to prevail no matter how bleak a situation might seem, even if some of that strength is on loan to us by a friend.

Highly recommended.

Steel Magnolias is being performed at Theater at the Center in Munster, Indiana through March 25th. For tickets and/or more show information visit www.TheaterAtTheCenter.com.

*Tissues are offered by ushers upon exit.

As I found my seat in the very intimate forty-seat or so Red Curtain Theater in First Congregational Church House to see Robert Harling's popular American classic Steel Magnolias, made popular by the movie starring Julia Roberts, I was very drawn in immediately by Mark Boergers' set design which places audience members on both sides of the action facing each other, so close you feel you are waiting for your own hair appointment in the super friendly and inclusive Truvy's Beauty Salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana.

Directed by Artistic Director Mark Boergers, all six members of this truly ensemble piece get an equal chance to shine and show the particular strengths and challenges each of these extraordinary women are facing. The multi-racial casting was extremely effective and believable. Each of these women, some rich, some poor, some single and some married, or about to be, really work together in an organic and wonderful way to create a world any woman can identify with at every stage of her life.  

Usually, I point out members of the cast who stand out but in this case ALL of the cast stand out, some with their biting humor like Nicholia Q. Aguirre as Clairee, whose late husband was mayor of Chinquapin, and Meg Elliott as Ousier who owns an outstanding sense of comic timing! Lucy Sandy as Truvy, the owner is a calm yet very funny, motherly anchor of the beauty salon she built in her own garage to support her husband. 

Brooklyn Hebert is lovely in the role of Shelby who is getting her hair done for her wedding day as the play opens. Natalie Sallee plays Shelby's mother M'Lynn really brings home the tears as the danger of diabetes threatens her daughter's happy, yet fragile, life dealing with the disease before and after childbirth. As the young Annelle, a young new beautician who has arrived recently in this small town with an abusive, perhaps criminal, boyfriend who deserts her Nikkia Tyler is very effective also, as we see her clinging to these new friendships and her newfound trust in God, and the church - while literally on the verge of homelessness.

Although Harling’s script is considered a flawless classic, these six strong characters in such a small, realistic, almost threadbare set take the show to new levels of humor and sensitivity, which leave one wondering why the Hollywood film itself wasn't cast multi-racially as well. 

I highly endorse this bright, new production to anyone who has seen or not seen and enjoyed the film or play before, as this ensemble directed by Mark Boergers offers up a refreshing and fulfilling vision of the original play that women and the men who love them can all identify with easily. Along with this excellent cast of trained actors the audience can learn firsthand about being strong as steel when necessary and laughing like children when it seems like all that's left to do is cry.  

The Arc Theatre’s Steel Magnolias is being performed at the Red Curtain Theater at the First Congregational Church House in Evanston through February 12th. For tickets and more show info, click here.