steel magnolias

A beauty parlor in a carport...in a theater? You can see this feat of engineering - which includes running water and hot curling irons -  at The Theater Project's Professional Ensemble production of Robert Harling's "Steel Magnolias", opening May 2. "Steel Magnolias" is a touching and hilarious look at the strength and loyalty of women, the bond of friendship that keeps them together, and the way laughter can make almost everything better.

The production features Theater Project regulars Wendy Poole as sassy beauty parlor owner Truvy, Michele Livermore Wigton as wealthy and foul-tempered Ouiser, Heather Perry Weafer as social leader M'Lynn, and Liz Chambers as her soon-to-be-married daughter Shelby. Newcomer to The Theater Project stage Kate O'Neill appears as Clairee, wife of the town's former mayor. "Working with this cast has been nothing but sheer pleasure for me," said O'Neill. "I’m the “new kid on the block”, but I have felt welcomed with open arms from the very first rehearsal. I can’t sing the praises of this group too highly enough."  

Different sort of newcomer to the play is Reba Short, who plays Annelle, Truvy's assistant. "Annelle is interesting, because she is the fly on the wall," says Short. "She's part of the play, but she's the outsider, at least at first. She's meeting all these women for the first time, and she can witness the beauty of their relationships." Not only is her character at a new job in a in new town, Short is the one member of the cast who has no previous exposure to "Steel Magnolias". "I did watch a few quirky scenes and parodies on You Tube the other night" she said. "I kicked myself for it afterward. My Annelle would never wear cats eye glasses!"

With such a touchstone movie being so familiar to most of the audience and the cast, it can be difficult to present the material in an original light.  Poole notes that "Truvy has such great lines, and Dolly Parton delivered them so well in the movie. As I rehearse I'm definitely finding that it's a fine line between making it my own and being true to the character." 

That's where the guidance of director Christopher Price comes in. A favorite at The Theater Project, Price's experience in directing both comedies and dramas is serving him well in "Steel Magnolias", where Harling's dialogue goes from snappy jokes to high tragedy and back to jokes in the blink of an eye.   "The appeal and the challenge for me is finding a way to present the story in a sincere, non-manipulative and honest way, " says Price.  "The solution to that lies in the strength of the actors.  It's their talent that gives this production its warmth, its real pain, its humor, and ultimately the credibility it so richly deserves."

And the cast is enjoying the rehearsal process immensely - and why wouldn't they? They get to snap breezy one-liners one moment, then sink their teeth into some juicy dramatic material. Weafer, who has one of the most difficult scenes in the play, says she has an appreciation and insight into her role that can be a mixed bag. "This role comes to me at a very interesting time in my life," she said, "so translating M'Lynn's anger appropriately in the last scene is somewhat of a challenge. I'm not sure I could do it if I weren't surrounded by a cast and director with whom I feel completely secure and totally trust." And as for any on-set hijinks? "I like to bring Wendy WD40 and Elmer's wood glue when she asks me to get stuff to do Shelby's nails." offered Short.

All the women say they do have friends in their lives similar to the group in the play. "Not as many", says Poole, "but as wonderful". And what does that friendship mean? They all say, "Everything."

Photos by Heather Perry and JP Gagnon