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A heart-warming and bittersweet comedy, “Steel Magnolias” is the funniest play ever to make you cry.
With the sweet gentility of Southern belles and strength and wit made of steel, the magnolia ladies will have you crying and laughing together. “Steel Magnolias” features a cast of six lovable, zany characters from Chinquapin Parish, La.
Beautician Truvy Jones, pink crazed daughter Shelby, mother M’Lynn, cranky Ouiser, mayor’s wife Clairee, and new assistant Annelle face some of life’s most difficult moments with courage, humor, laughter and tears.
“There is no such thing as natural beauty,” says Truvy, and she knows all about beauty. Designed and built by Eric Danzeiser, Truvy’s beauty parlor is a convincing, old-fashioned home salon that is the setting for “Steel Magnolias,” which opens today.
The stage production of “Steel Magnolias” is intimate, almost as if you are in Truvy’s beauty parlor waiting to have your hair done and listening in on the conversation.
Jacqui Haggerty plays Truvy Jones, the central axle of the action whose personality is larger than life, but also gutsy and sweet. Natasha Torres debuts in the role of Annelle, the ditzy new beauty parlor recruit. Clairee is played by Lois Borsay with wonderful dry wit. Whimsical yet determined Shelby is played by Rachel Holliday, whose real life mother, Kristin Holliday, plays the hovering M’Lynn, a typically overprotective mom. Tom Navo is properly mean, cranky and funny as Ouiser.
The Baumholder Java Cafe is getting into the spirit with Magnolia Specials during September. Buy a special drink and receive a two-for-one admission ticket to the show on your choice of dates.
The cast and crew from both the Baumholder and Kaiserslautern military communities are rehearsing long hours in preparation.
“Big, glitzy shows are fun, but I think the heart of theater is in the intimate,” said director Eric Danzeiser. “(There are) a few very talented folks performing just for you.”
“Steel Magnolias,” the true life story written by Robert Harling, is a truly moving play that celebrates the strength and value of friendship, humor and love in the midst of life’s greatest hardships. “Steel Magnolias” opened off-Broadway in 1987, became a big-cast movie hit in 1989, and was produced on Broadway in 2005. “Steel Magnolias” is being performed through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service Inc.
“Steel Magnolias,” a show the whole family will enjoy, opens at the Hilltop Theater today and Saturday and continues Sept. 28 and 29 and Oct. 5 and 6. The Baumholder Hilltop Theater is located beside Burger King on Smith Barracks. Show tickets are $10 at the door or two-for-one with the purchase of any of the Magnolia Specials at the Java Cafe. For more information, call 06783-6-7244 or 485-7244.
(By Cheryl Navo)
