PCT cast blossoms in 'Steel Magnolias'

By BETH FOLEY, Special to the Herald-Press
The Palestine Herald

Palestine March 24, 2006 11:51 am

— Sometimes it’s nice to relax with old friends.
There can be something nice about familiarity that can make you feel comfortable and welcome, even when you’ve heard the jokes and know the punch lines.
It’s that way with the Palestine Community Theatre’s first production of the year, “Steel Magnolias,’’ directed by Garland Cotton.
By now, the storyline is pretty familiar, thanks to the 1989 film version and a 1991 PCT production, but under Cotton’s able direction, this cast makes it fresh again.
On the Texas Theater stage, the action takes place in Truvy’s Beauty Salon in Chinquapin, La., where owner Truvy, played by Shasta McCarty, and beautician Annelle (Nancy Giles) host old friends Clairee (Jude Vurgason), Ouiser (Kim Henry) and M’Lynn (Sandy Couch Hanson), along with M’Lynn’s daughter Shelby (Daylene Standley).
As in the movie, the play progresses through the lives of the six characters over a couple of years. The story divides into two acts for the stage, with Act I, Scene 1 in April and Scene 2 in December, a brief intermission, then Act II, Scene 1 in June 18 months later and Scene 2 in November.
As the play opens, Truvy gets newly-hired Annelle squared away on the ins and outs of the salon and its regulars, then welcomes in her usual crew of customers — widowed Clairee, wondering what to do with her life now that her mayor-husband has passed away; cranky, rich Ouiser, annoyed by M’Lynn’s husband; M’Lynn, sensible and protective of her daughter’s health; and Shelby, M’Lynn’s diabetic daughter, who’s about to be married later in the day.
Through the course of time and beauty shop gossip, characters come alive — Clairee finds a new identity through buying a local radio station and broadcasting high school football; Ouiser gripes about men and life, but reconnects with an old flame; Annelle finds religion, then a husband; Shelby risks her health to have a child she’s desperately wanted; and M’Lynn and Truvy remain rock-solid in their midst, finding humor and supporting their loved ones. When tragedy eventually strikes, those left behind lean on the strength of their friendship and humor to get through.
Even for those quite familiar with this story, this cast and crew bring a welcome-back feeling to the two-hour show. Each actress makes her character feel like that old friend you haven’t seen in ages — you know them and you remember their old jokes as they start into them, but they’re still just as enjoyable as ever.
For McCarty and Vurgason, “Steel Magnolias” marks their PCT debuts. McCarty, from Grapeland, calls upon her experience from high school productions to bring exuberance to her role as Truvy, keeping the dialogue moving in the beauty shop, and keeping the audience engaged. She keeps things light when the characters could have turned on each other. Vurgason, who relocated from Maine in 2005, brings Clairee to life with a enjoyable mix of wit and wisdom, and provides a wry foil to Ouiser’s sarcasm.
Facing the challenge of growing their characters the most throughout the play, Giles and Standley handle it well. Giles transforms Annelle from the painfully shy newcomer to a young woman overly eager to spread the Good Word, especially to grouchy Ouiser, to a more mature wife about to become a mother by the play’s end. Standley fits Shelby’s carefree nature, and gives her cautious mother fits with her ability to live for the moment.
As a founding member of the PCT, Hanson anchors the cast. Having portrayed M’Lynn before, she serves as the rock for the group — quietly supporting her friends, calming Ouiser when her husband Drum fires his guns or picks the blooms from her magnolia tree, and always protecting Shelby. Her experience as an actress and a director make her a natural choice for the role.
Taking nothing away from the rest, the one who seems to have the most fun is Henry in the role of wise-cracking Ouiser. Not everyone is blessed with the ability to come across as funny, but Henry does so. She delivers her sarcastic lines with great timing and body language. Perhaps the funniest moment comes at her expense at the end of the play, when her old friend Clairee offers to hold Ouiser still so that the grieving M’Lynn can hit her and get her anger out over Shelby’s death.
Performances this weekend will be at 7:30 tonight, 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $10 for adults and $6 for children and students.
A concession stand is open in the lobby of the Texas Theater, 217 W. Crawford St., offering cold drinks, popcorn and candy. In addition, swatches of fabric and carpet to be installed are displayed in the lobby. Donations to the theater’s renovation are being accepted.
Upcoming events at the Texas Theater include a Children’s Theater Workshop to be held March 27-April 1 for children in grades 3-6. Times are 6:15 p.m.-7:30 p.m. March 27-30, and 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m. April 1. Cost is $30 per child. For more information, call (903) 922-3008 or (903) 723-9595.
In addition, auditions for “Alice in Wonderland” will be April 15, with performances planned for June 16-18; auditions for “The Music Man” will be May 20, with shows planned for July 28-30 and August 4-6.

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.