Natural beauty in 'Steel Magnolias'
Charles H. Featherstone/Columbia Basin Herald Truvy (Sharon Winningham) readies Shelby (Laura Knittle) for her wedding day while her assistant Annelle (Emma Russell) works on Shelby’s mom M’Lynn (Melissa Sloan) in Robert Harling’s play ‘Steel Magnolias,’ running through May 7 at Masquers Theater in Soap Lake.
Charles H. Featherstone/Columbia Basin Herald Truvy (Sharon Winningham) and her new assistant Annelle (Emma Russell) talk with Claire (Cheri Barbre) in Robert Harling’s play ‘Steel Magnolias,’ running through May 7 at Masquers Theater in Soap Lake.
SOAP LAKE — “There is no such thing as natural beauty.”
That’s the motto of Truvy, the lead character in Robert Harling’s play, “Steel Magnolias,” which debuted this weekend at the Masquers Theater in Soap Lake.
Steel Magnolias is the story of six women — Truvy Jones (played by Sharon Winningham), beautician and owner of the hair salon at the center of the play, Clairee Belcher (Cheri Barbre), Ouiser Boudreaux (Barbara Sloan), Annelle Dupuy (Emma Russell), and mother and daughter M’Lynn Eatenton (Melissa Sloan) and Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie (Laura Knittle) — as their lives unfold over several years.
Shelby, who is engaged to be married, has Type 1 diabetes, but chooses to have a child despite the risk pregnancy poses to her health. Her kidneys fail, and despite receiving a transplanted kidney from her mother, Shelby dies, leaving the five friends to figure out what it all means.
Harling based the play on the death of his sister Susan.
“Twenty-nine women auditioned, and I could have cast this play twice and have quality performances,” said director Randy Brooks. “This is one of the best ensemble scripts I’ve ever read.”
“Everyone in the cast is a star,” Brooks added. “All the parts are great, everyone has a time to shine.”
Winningham, who teaches history at Chief Moses Middle School, said playing Truvy was difficult, in part because of the emotional intensity of the play but also because she had to actually learn how to do hair.
“This is the hardest role I’ve ever done,” she said. “There’s a lot of emotional work and it’s all us. Truvy touches people and I’m not a toucher.”
Winningham was emphatic — the hair work in the play is all real.
“Yes!” she said, gripping my arms. “But it wasn’t very good. I watched a lot YouTube videos, and failed terribly at it. I put a lot of hours into learning the hair. The other cast members were very gracious with all the failing I did.”
While Winningham is a longtime theater veteran, having first acted at the age of 5 in a Missoula Children’s Theater production, acting and doing hair at the same was a trying task.
“I would not want my daughters to get married in hair I did,” Winningham added.
Brooks said “Steel Magnolias” is a “funny and emotional” play “that touches just about every emotion you can think of.”
“It’s just a great script,” he said. “I am exceptionally lucky I’ve got the talent I’ve got to work with.”
“Steel Magnolias” is running at Masquers for the next two weekends, with evening showings beginning at 7:30 p.m. on April 28-29, and May 5-6, and matinée showings at 2 p.m. on April 23 and May 7. For more information, call 509-246-2611.
Charles H. Featherstone can be reached via email at countygvt@columbiabasinherald.com.