Steel Magnolias Has a Heart of Gold

The air was thick with nostalgia as the audience settled into their seats. 

Photo by Dan Norman

After all, you'd have to live under a rock not to remember the infamous 1989 film featuring a veritable who's who of a pillar pre-#metoo feminine Hollywood. I mean how can you forget a cast starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, AND Julia Roberts?!

Photo by Dan Norman

But forget we did as the lights lowered and the stage turned to reveal the cozy home salon of Truvy in the Guthrie's lovely stage production of the same name. It's hard to compete with a movie as iconic as Steel Magnolias was, but the Guthrie succeeds in spades (perhaps partially because several of the production team leaders have never seen the film themselves). It's a softer, warmer play than we often see at the time of year that seems to usually call for heavy dramas as dark as the sky outside, and it was a welcome ray of sunshine on a Tuesday evening.

Photo by Dan Norman

Steel Magnolias is simply a story about life, centered in the salon of Truvy. A local hairdresser whose shop is the heart and soul of the social life in a small Louisiana town, Truvy is deliciously owned by Austene Van in one of my favorite roles I've ever seen her play. The story follows the conversation of Truvy's regular clients M'Lynn (Melissa Maxwell), Clairee (Amy Van Nostrand) and Ouiser (Sally Wingert) as their lives pass through deaths, new jobs, trips, romance and more. A central figure is Shelby (a radiant Nicole King), M'Lynn's daughter who is plagued by severe diabetes, as she gets married and starts her family. Shelby's delicate health is a marked contrast to the spunky and hearty Annelle (Adelin Phelps), Truvy's assistant and a newcomer to the town.

Photo by Dan Norman

I won't spoil the poignant ending for those unfamiliar with the show, but I am happy to praise the rich, nuanced chemistry this colorful cast brings to the stage. Wingert is hilarious as usual and a comedic star every time she appears. Nostrand has a very Shirley MacLaine delivery and I found her wry and delightful. I wanted Maxwell to have just a titch more gravitas as M'Lynn, but she brought a warmth as Shelby's mother that was beautiful to behold. Phelps is a total stitch as the bumbling, earnest Annelle, and I would have loved to see even more of her throughout the show. And as mentioned above, hats off to Austene Van for her beautiful performance as Truvy, the stylish and beating heart of Steel Magnolias. Van is our local Regina King and I adored seeing her in such a soft, plush role. It fits her like a comfy dress you never want her to take off.

Photo by Dan Norman

Speaking of style, the 1980s period-perfect costuming designed by Kara Harmon is delicious front to back. You'll get wigs, shoulder pads, ornate belts, and all the hairspray you can handle, and I couldn't get enough. Narelle Sissons' sturdy scenic design gives us a literal 360 degree view of Truvy's salon, which rotates on a turnstile from season to season and feels like a cozy alcove we all share in confidence. Cat Tate Starmer's lighting design perfectly enhances that feeling with a warm glow, and Jane Shaw's subtle sound design provides just the right mood. Hats off to director Lisa Rothe and this all female production team (called out in the program with photos! - a detail that I loved) for a beautiful, feminine production that is appealing to audiences of all gender identities and persuasions. I can attest that my husband (who has not seen the film either... maybe it's not as universal as I always thought?) was apprehensive about enjoying this show as we first sat down, but left with glowing words by the time it ended, so I know that this is one that can cross gender lines.

Photo by Dan Norman

One of the things I think that gives Steel Magnolias such staying power is its (regrettably, still,) unusual focus on the lives of ordinary, every day women. There are no kingmakers or harlots or business titans here, just a group of ladies living their mundane lives in camaraderie and gratitude. It's still so rare to see stories about everyday ordinary people that don't involve some overstated, manufactured point of interest (like a murder or winning the lottery), and especially so when the protagonists are all women. It was a real pleasure to hear a celebration of the little things in life, and a reminder of how far technology has removed most of us from the joys of physical connection and companionship - a habit that perhaps we should reclaim. After all, how many of us walk into a beauty shop these days and actually (gasp!) talk to each other? Steel Magnolias is a psalm for the soul, a beautiful meditation of the little ways we can all mean very much to each other, and I couldn't recommend it enough. This is a lovely option for a holiday gift, a trip with the gals in your friends or family circle, or even a date night the special guy in your life will connect more to than he'd admit. Click here for more information or to get tickets before Steel Magnolias closes on December 15.

Photo by Dan Norman