Marshall University’s School of Theatre and Dance will present “Steel Magnolias” by Robert Harling at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturdays, Feb. 15-18 and Feb. 22-25, in the Francis‐Booth Experimental Theatre of the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center.
This comedy-drama shares the stories of women living in Chinquapin, Louisiana, and is set largely in Truvy’s beauty salon. The Southern ladies — including an eccentric millionaire, Clairee, the wealthy curmudgeon Oiser, local social leader M’Lynn and her spunky daughter, Shelby, receive beauty treatments and plenty of advice from Truvy, with help from her new assistant, Annelle, as they share laughter and tears. Directed by Leah Turley, the cast includes Kendra Williams as Truvy; Eliza Aulick as Annelle; Sierra Lutz as Clairee; Samantha Phalen as Oiser; Amelya Bostic as Shelby; and Nikki Riniti as M’Lynn.
For many, “Steel Magnolias” is iconic, Turley said.
“It’s a crowd pleaser. And it’s a real, legitimate artistic challenge for the actors on stage,” she said. “Live theatre is immediate and happens in real time. So, when Shelby enters Truvy’s beauty shop with her hair in foam rollers, at the end of the scene, she has to leave the stage with her hair perfectly coiffed for her wedding day. And the audience watches the whole process.
“While the actors are enmeshed in building character relationships and remembering lengthy monologues, they’re also tasked with the very practical activities of washing, rolling, and setting curls on stage.”
The set for this production at Marshall has running water for Annelle to wash M’Lynn’s hair on her first day at Truvy’s shop, and mirrors are absent from the set, so cast members style hair and react as if a mirror is in front of them, giving audience members a unique look at the actors’ performances, Turley said.
“Steel Magnolias is such a unique opportunity for our actors at the Marshall University School of Theatre and Dance,” Turley said. “It stands as a testament to proud Southern women everywhere, and we hope to do y’all justice.”
Tickets are free for Marshall students with their MU IDs, $20 general admission, and $15 for employees and seniors age 60 and older. For tickets or additional information, call 304-696-ARTS.