After dealing with a setback from COVID-19, the Montgomery County Arts Council will present Steel Magnolias on June 26-28, a reprise of a local favorite with two veteran castmates and newcomers bringing a new energy to the stage.
The cast includes two of the original actresses Tonya Blakely and Beth McCaulla Richards. Newcomers to the play are Amy Killebrew, Shelby Carollo, Stevie Myers, and Sara Evans.
Director and designer Paula McCaulla has helped the half-dozen performers sound the most touching notes in Robert Harling's script.
"With such a wonderful cast I have just gotten out of their way. Regardless, this is about as fine an example of inspired, ensemble acting as you're likely to find anywhere," McCaulla said.
Blakely, endearingly plays Truvy, the salon owner with big hair and an even bigger heart. Evans is the upscale Clairee, widow of the mayor; Myers plays the cantankerous, less-than feminine Ouiser; Killebrew plays Truvy's nervous new stylist Annelle, a gal with a troubled past and a born-again future.
The play's central relationship, one modeled after Harling's own mother and sister, centers on M'Lynn (Richards) and her daughter Shelby (Shelby Carollo). About to be wed as the play begins, Shelby is a diabetic who cannot risk having a child. For good reason, M'Lynn frets about her headstrong daughter, who seems determined to become a mother -- even if it kills her. And it is that conflict, plus the mix of steely will and fragile vulnerability, that makes “Steel Magnolias” more than just another comedy with a Southern accent.
If you’ve seen the movie, the cast said it’s completely different.
“We’re only set in the beauty shop,” Myers said. “We don’t move around to the different areas.”
“The movie stretches some things out but some parts are the same,” Evans added.
This is the fourth run for the play. McCaulla said it was first produced in 2002 and again 2005 at Timbo’s before the Montgomery County Arts Council purchased the Montgomery County Performing Arts Center, where it has been produced twice more.
“Our original Truvy died, and we said that we wouldn’t run it again,” McCaulla said.
However, McCaulla said in 2016, they felt it was time to reprise the production.
“Tonya graduated to Truvy and Beth graduated to M’Lynn,” McCaulla said.
She said the cast has had to practice remotely a little bit because her daughter, Richards, lives in Ohio. “We had to record it and send it to her so she could see everyone’s marks and hear them saying their lines,” McCaulla said.
Richards said, “I told her if Tonya wasn’t in it, I wasn’t doing it.”
She said she told McCaulla she felt it was time to reprise the production. When McCaulla told her they were doing the play, she began learning her lines in April.
Blakely said with each production the characters are the same, the lines are the same but it’s the dynamic of the cast and the personality that they put into the characters that makes it different.
“If you’ve seen it before, this show is nothing like the one that you’ve seen. It’s completely different,” she said. “Each cast -- you create a bond with the people you’re on stage with.”
McCaulla said the play was originally set to run in April but was pushed back because of COVID-19. She said the arts council will take a little hit because of the pandemic. She said the auditorium that can hold 110 people will only be able to be at 50 percent capacity.
“That’s like 55 people. That’s why we have to ask for tickets to be purchased in advanced. We can’t sell them at the door,” she said. “It’s a little hit, but we’ll be alright.”
Donavon Harvey, Cristina Seals, and Jeremy Saffold make up the crew. The set, designed by Paula McCaulla has been constructed by Casey and Amy Killebrew, Bryce Stegall, Jake and Shelby Corollo and will include the original platforms, constructed by John Swanson, Lloyd McGonagill, Kris Blakely and Ronnie McDaniel.
Steel Magnolias blooms at The Performing Arts Center, 208 Summit Street in Winona at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, June 28 at 2 p.m. To comply with Covid 19 regulations, seating is limited to 50 percent of the house and tickets must be reserved. For reservations, call 662-310-0199.
