Steel Magnolias at Flat Rock Playhouse

Though I identify primarily as a movie reviewer and have seen thousands of films, an even greater number remain unseen — including plenty that I feel like I should have watched by now. However, there are benefits to this cinematic ignorance, particularly when Flat Rock Playhouse stages a production best known for its depiction on the big screen.

Last summer, I had the pleasure of crossing Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner off my list of blindspots (at least in one form), and I’m confident that my lack of experience with the material led to a more enjoyable and certainly more surprise-filled time at the theater. Now I can say the same for Steel Magnolias, easily one of the funniest productions at the Rock over the past five years that likewise instills greater motivation for me to finally check out its film adaptation.

As is often the case at FRP, Dennis C. Maulden’s scenic design gets a head start on making the show’s first impression, and his take on the home-adjacent beauty parlor belonging to Truvy Jones (March McGuigan) is no exception. Expertly laid out with wash, cut, dry, and manicure stations, as well as a few creature comforts courtesy of props manager Rory Brownell, the two-level set provides a realistic feast for the eyes and an adult playground for its refreshingly all-female cast to move about.

Under Anne Hering’s loving direction, this true ensemble honors the humor and heart of Robert Harling’s family-inspired play, tracking four pivotal days in the arc of six Louisiana women’s friendships that span 2.5 years but, thanks to the four-part structure and honest-to-life subject matter, feel like a single cycle through the seasons.

Clad in Travis M. Grant’s ’80s-tastic wardrobe, Truvy, new hire Annelle (Amanda Tong), former mayor’s wife Clairee (Linda Edwards), and Truvy’s neighbors Ouiser (Janie Bushway), M’Lynn (Sally Field dead-ringer Lynn Llewelyn Penny), and her daughter Shelby (Lexis Danca) converge in the salon and elicit steady delights through the witty banter of six women with distinct senses of humor.

Driving the action in each scene is a new development in young Shelby’s life, and Danca excels at conveying the struggles of each turning point and how the love and support of the five women help her persevere. But Steel Magnolias’ sentimental elements never feel hokey and its emotional beats are thoroughly well-earned thanks to wholly developed characters and expert comic timing — particularly Edwards and Bushway, who earn some of the show’s biggest laughs.

Beyond these standout elements anchored in Harling’s layered script, McGuigan also got to show off her improvisational skills during opening weekend’s Saturday matinee when, in the play’s final dramatic moments, an unidentified object escaped from her hand and rolled toward the edge of the stage. She briefly gave chase but gave up after it fell onto the floor in front of the first row of attendees.

“Well, that’s gone,” McGuigan quipped, fully in character and without a wall-breaking wink to her co-workers or the audience, earning impressed cackles from those paying close attention — which was basically everyone, thanks to the production’s captivating nature that kept theatergoers hanging on every word. Minutes later, another matching item (my best guess? Large spherical buttons fleeing M’Lynn’s overcoat) followed its friend into the audience and both items were handed to Tong following a well-deserved standing ovation at the show’s conclusion.

Like McGuigan, Tong similarly stayed in character, crouching to retrieve the runaway pieces while carefully cradling Annelle’s round, pregnant belly. The move provided one last bit of comedy before she and her cast-mates disappeared behind the stage for a much-needed respite before the next crowd-pleasing performance.

Steel Magnolias runs through Sunday, May 28. For details and tickets, visit FlatRockPlayhouse.org.

(Photo by Treadshots)