With a performance that delivered both laughter and tears, the cast of "Steel Magnolias" — running at the Trinity Repertory Company through May 15 — roused the audience to a standing ovation following its production Wednesday.
From the superficial confines of a garage-turned-beauty parlor comes this sassy and serious play by Robert Harling. Written to cope with a traumatic loss from his family, Harling's play explores how community and humor can help an individual deal with tragedy. With such a small and talented cast, the audience cannot help but be engaged and absolutely fall in love with each character.
The play centers around six women who work at and frequent a beauty parlor in their small town of Chinquapin, La. Each actress captivated the audience in her own special way, portraying distinct and engaging characters exceptionally.
To highlight this inclusive nature and bring the audience fully into the production, each character was treated to her own spotlight and theme song during her first entrance of the show. Before she even began speaking or interacting with their fellow characters, each woman introduced herself and connected with the audience through song and a little bit of dance.
The play opens very simply. The audience, seated on three sides of the stage, looks into the main room of the beauty parlor. Eclectic and brightly colored lights adorn the ceiling of the stage and a sliding garage door — leftover from the parlor's earlier days as a mechanic's garage — serves as the backdrop.
As the lights rise, Truvy (Rachael Warren), the flashy red-headed parlor store proprietor, is seated while her nervous new hire, Annelle (Alexandra Lawrence), fusses with her new employers' hair. With little introduction to her new job, Annelle is thrown into the world of Truvy's beauty parlor as the other women arrive.
Clairee (Barbara Meek), the former first lady of the town, walks slowly into the room. Shelby (Madeleine Lambert), the soon-to-be married daughter of a regular customer arrives with her wedding hair-do in mind. Her mother, M'Lynn (Janice Duclos), soon follows, questioning every decision Shelby makes. Later, Ousier (Anne Scurria) storms in, yelling and moaning about the terror-filled and gun-shot-ridden relationship between her dog and M'Lynn's husband.
The parlor's regulars seem to be involved in every part of each other's lives. Truvy discusses the upcoming marriage. M'Lynn bemoans the similarity of the wedding colors — "pink and pink" — wondering, "How precious is the wedding going to get?" Shelby complains about her husband's poor dancing skills and his family's southern values — "shoot it, stuff it or marinate it."
All seems well and quaint until Shelby has a seizure. Truvy reveals to Annelle that the bride-to-be is diabetic and this kind of episode is normal. They all discover from M'Lynn that Shelby has been advised against having children. The audience realizes that through all the laughs and smiles, the play has drama and sadness. This time, the gravity and seriousness of the characters' lives pulls the viewer into the play even further.
Shelby, though, seems determined to keep her life and the lives of her friends and family without worry or sorrow. She acts as if nothing has happened, a theme that she and eventually her mother champion throughout the entire play. With help from the others, Shelby shines the spotlight on Annelle instead of herself.
The next time the audience meets with our six heroines is at Christmastime when Shelby announces she is pregnant. M'Lynn cannot help but be worried and tries to explain the difference between "shouldn't" and "couldn't" when deciding to have a baby.
As the scenes progress, the laughter and hilarity heightens, but Shelby's condition worsens. The act finishes with a tone of seriousness, but the women keep it light, leaving the audience with a dance led by Shelby.
The next act begins in June with Shelby announcing to the audience the birth of her son by stapling his picture to the garage door. She also drastically cuts her hair, reminding the audience that beauty is still the first priority.
The mood seems lifted. M'Lynn is excited by her upcoming 30th wedding anniversary and Clairee discusses her nephew's newly discovered sexual orientation amid laughter from characters and audience members alike. "In my day you could tell by their carriage and demeanor what side their bread was buttered on," she says.
But despite the jokes and laughter, Shelby is not okay. She needs a kidney from her mother and they need good-looking hair to "stay sassy" in the hospital the next day. They leave with kisses and wishes of good luck — the promise of a new life fresh in the minds of the audience as the scene continues.
Even as the play ends with tears in the eyes of the characters, the audience cannot help but smile and remember the words of the quotable Clairee — "The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize."
* * * * * (five out of five stars)
A small and engaging cast makes for a captivating performance.
