Play goes from comedy to tragedy with the delicate direction from co-directors Bill Tindall and Tiffany Goller
Photo courtesy Elizabeth Mandel
By Camille Bounds
Robert Harling’s magnificently written “Steel Magnolias” is a sentimental story that takes us to a beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana where several women of the town meets to get their hair done, catch up on town gossip and bond. It covers light and dark moments that South Valley Civic Theatre’s production caught with wonderful acting from some of the most talented actresses in our region. I consider this play, which opened Nov. 15, their best offering of a drama I have seen so far from our local company.
The play goes from comedy to tragedy with the delicate direction from co-directors Bill Tindall and Tiffany Goller (who also did the nicely designed sets). It’s extraordinarily well cast with Adrianne Wilkinson who plays Truvy, the owner of the beauty shop, Marisa Lopes as confused Anneelle, Marion Pintello as the witty, sensitive Clairee, Becca Snook as a young, charming and daring Shellby, Myra Kaelin as M.Lynn, Shelby’s caring mom. with Suzi Sellers as wild, Ouiser who keeps the moments she is on moving with a momentum that keeps attention.
This company places a high bar in acting for this dramatic group. There will be a lot of high reaching for future productions. Lighting designer Bridget Harnett and costumer Terri Miles bring the production to perfect well timed moment in their areas.
SVCT’s “Steel Magnolias” is an excellent production with a creme de la creme cast and a story that can hold its own anywhere. If you enjoy extraordinarily excellent theater, catch “Steel Magnolias” at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse. This show reveals how wonderful a night at our local theater can be.
Steel Magnolias
Produced by: South Valley Civic Theatre
Where: Morgan Hill Community Playhouse — 5th and Monterey Streets-Morgan Hill
Through: Dec 7
Tickets $18 to $28
For reservations and information : WWW.SCVT.Org
