STEEL MAGNOLIAS

September 2020

Truvy Jones runs a successful beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies in the neighborhood have a standing Saturday appointment. Along with her anxious and eager assistant, Annelle, Truvy styles the hair of many of the women about town: wealthy widow and former first lady of Chinquapin, Clairee Belcher, local curmudgeon Ouiser Boudreaux, intelligent and compassionate career woman M’Lynn, and her daughter Shelby, the prettiest girl in town. Shelby’s engagement is the talk of the town, but the joy and excitement of her wedding quickly turn to concern as she faces a risky pregnancy and a myriad of health complications. Eventually, when Shelby dies from complications related to her diabetes, M’Lynn has to deal with the most difficult of life’s challenges: the loss of one’s only child. As the women of Chinquapin makes their ways over life’s many hurdles together, they find comfort (and a fair amount of verbal ribbing) in one another. “You have no idea how wonderful you are,” M’Lynn tells the ladies at the end of the play. Truvy responds, with a smile, “Of course we do.”

Directed by Mark Giza

Jan Plumb as Stage Manager

The Theatre Guild of Hampden Presents Steel Magnolias

CAST

Diane Flynn as Truvy
Alma Huremovic as Annelle
Marge Secora as Clairee
Faythe Renee as Shelby
Jeanne Wysocki as M'Lynn
Kathy Renaud as Ouiser

Photo courtesy of Photography by Thomas Henry