Community Theatre to perform Steel Magnolias
By: Toni Walker
Editor of The Steel Country Bee
After taking a hiatus following the holidays, the Community Theatre of East Texas fervently preparing for their upcoming production. Steel Magnolias will open March 23 at the Hughes Springs High School Auditorium.
Set in fictional Chinquapin parish in Northwestern Louisiana, the play is based on the family experience of the play's author Robert Harling following the death in 1985 from diabetic complications of his sister after the birth of his namesake nephew and failure of a family member donated kidney. A writer friend following the death advised him to write it down to come to terms with the experience. He did but originally as a short story to give his nephew an understanding of the child's deceased mother. It eventually evolved in ten days to a play performed Off-Broadway before being adapted for Steel Magnolias movie (1989).
The story revolves around the relationships of six women, and details how the women interact at times with conflict but in the end resolved friends: Shelby's decision to have a child despite the complication that can be with the condition, Clairee's friendship with the curmudgeon Ouiser; Annelle's transformation from a shy, anxious newcomer in town to a good-time girl then repentant revival-tent Christian; and Truvy's relationships with the men in her family. Although the main storyline involves Shelby, her mother M'Lynn, and Shelby's medical battles, the underlying group-friendship among all six women is prominent throughout the drama.
Steel Magnolias was first premiered in June of 1987 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York. The production closed on February 25, 1990 after 1,126 performances. The Broadway production was adapted for the silver screen in 1989 and starred Sally Fields (M’Lynn), Darryl Hannah (Annelle), Dolly Parton (Truvy), Julia Roberts (Shelby), Olympia Dukakis (Clairee), and Shirley MacLaine (Ouiser).
Matthew Nichols, after having a major role in the Theatre’s first two productions, steps off the stage to direct Steel Magnolias. Returning to the CTET stage as Shelby is Vivien Taylor, who played the female lead of Roxanne, opposite Nichols’ Cyrano, in Cyrano de Burger Shack. Also returning is CTET board member Sherrie Campbell, who also performed in Cyrano. Stepping onto the stage as M’Lynn is board member Mandy Gamill, who directed previous CTET productions of Cyrano de Burger Shack and You have the Right to Remain Dead. Joining the CTET cast for the first time are Kelly Evans, as Annelle, Shara Klaus as Clairee, and Rebecca Hampton, as Ouiser. “The cast is doing a fantastic job,” said Nichols. “They have become their characters, and are not simply portraying those characters.”
Steel Magnolias will open on March 23, and run through March 26. All shows will begin at 7 p.m., and doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at the Hughes Springs City Hall and Med-Shop Pharmacy, or you can contact Matthew Nichols at 903-752-9218 or Mandy Gammill at 903-767-5208.
A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will go for towards a scholarship in theatre and music.
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