“Steel Magnolias” opens this weekend at Playhouse Merced. The much-beloved Robert Harling play will be presented at 7:30 p.m on Fridays and at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays for three weekends from May 9-25.
As the title suggests, “Steel Magnolias” showcases a group of southern women who are as “delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel.” They gather at Trudy’s Beauty Spot in Chinquapin Parish to share gossip, commiserate, laugh, and cry together.
The Perennial Players Playhouse show features Hannah Malden as M’Lynn Eatenton; Haley Paulissian as Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie; Candice Adam-Medefind as Clairee Belcher; Sandra Hay as Ouiser Boudreaux; Mikee-D Love-Asenjo as Truvy Jones, and Rose Pino as Annelle Dupuy-DeSoto. It is directed by Kitsy Olson.
The story follows newlywed Shelby who — despite type 1 diabetes and related kidney failure —desperately yearns for a baby. It’s set in Truvy’s beauty salon where all the ladies who are “anybody” come to have their hair done every Saturday morning. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle, the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town’s rich curmudgeon, Ouiser; an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M’Lynn, Shelby’s mother.
It’s truly a life-affirming slice of southern life as rich as Clairee’s pecan “tassies.” The 1987 play first opened at New York’s WPA Theatre. Harling wrote the play as a way to deal with a tragedy that affected his family. It was adapted into a film in 1989 starring Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Olympia Dukakis, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, and Daryl Hannah.
“Everyone has had a hurdle to overcome at some point in their lives and have hopefully had the support of friends and family near and dear to help them to the other side. As the women of Chinquapin make their ways over life’s many hurdles together, they find comfort in one another,” said Director Olson. “With the strength of friendship found in a Northwest Louisiana beauty shop, they bond, support, cry, laugh, and tease each other to come through any and all challenges stronger, together.”
Corrina Bishop will handle stage manager responsibilities with the assistance of Ramiro Valencia. Set design is by Austin Worden and Emily Oliver will handle the show’s tech needs. Marit Medefind Bond and Heather Harrison will provide costuming, with R. Dominic Coleman taking care of wig and hair design. The stage crew includes Laila Brooks, Ava McCracken, Tabitha Perez, and Karol Valencia.
For ticket information, call (209) 725-8587.