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To paraphrase what Ouiser (Micheal Learned), one of the grand dames who frequent Truvy’s Beauty Parlor said about growing tomatoes, that like fried chicken and tanning  oneself, it was all a part of the Southern experience—she did not know why she did it; it was just a Southern thing to do. Steel Magnolias, a play that will definitely take audience members down the Southern experience, is about six women who gossip, and, above all, share life’s pains and most precious moments together. Their bond is a sisterly rapport that surpasses even death. Together, with memorable scenes and accounts from a sleepy little town in Louisiana where the six ladies rule the roost, their comradeship is evident in their everyday banter and speech. No real cattiness apparent, it is obvious the Southern hospitality is working its way through these ladies’ lives. Even their ‘arguments’ are all in good humor; the ladies of Steel Magnolias obviously don’t take themselves too seriously.
Micheal Learned, as Ouiser, and Cathy Rigby, as M’lynn, co-star in this Welk Resorts Theatre first production for the 2010 season. Emma Fassler, Christa Jackson, Amy Sloan and Rosina Reynolds also share the limelight in this star-filled event. All six ladies with their equally laudable performances, bring to the table their comedic talents and perfect pitch for one-liners and insufferable attitudes. But don’t let these ladies gay appearances fool you. As the chit-chat comes to a halt, the story too slows down and zeroes into the obvious seriousness of the plot.
Shelby (Amy Sloan) is getting married the very next day. With her wedding day on the  horizon (and this is meant literarily), Shelby and her mother, M’lynn, can’t agree on anything. Even the baby’s breath which Shelby is adamant she gets to wear, this being her wedding day and not her mothers, is to be discussed. The only thing they can agree on is the groom’s cake, which is in the image of an armadillo. With its red velvet cake insides, once the cake is cut, Shelby imagines, it will look like a bleeding animal. Inside Truvy’s Beauty Parlor, nothing is left for the imagination. The more specific and detailed you are in remunerating your gossip the quicker you are initiated into Truvy’s Beauty Parlor circle. But it is to be new-comer, Annelle’s cross to bear, as she soon develops a religious outlook to her nervous and high-strung persona. She refuses to gossip about anyone, but she quickly spills the beans of her own life miseries. Her confession for the time-being satisfies the curious women of the beauty parlor and she quickly gets accepted into their circle.
Truvy Jones (Christa Jackson) sets the tone to this big-stage production, this being her beauty salon after all. Her motto: the bigger the hair, the more hairspray you need—that’s basically all you need in life: big hair and hairspray. Her friendly demeanor makes the ladies feel at home, which certainly does help loosen their tongues. With hairspray can in hand and a sharp tongue, Truvy’s recipe for a successful beauty parlor might make any fancy Hollywood hair-stylist jealous.
Clariee (Rosina Reynolds), the mayor’s ex-wife, definitely knows how to clown around. With many put-down jokes aimed at herself and her old age (she claimed to be around when Jesus Christ was born), Clariee and Ouiser make an awesome pair of jokesters. At a certain point when the play was getting a little too serious (audience member’s had just learned of Shelby’s death and M’lynn was having a much needed outburst over her grief), Clairee volunteered Ouiser to be M’lynn’s punching bag if she ever needed to hit someone if it ever got to hurt too much. A pivotal moment in the play, it was one of those scenes where you could tell the actors were getting immersed in their parts. Michael Learned who played Ouiser was actually laughing through tears as she was caught by surprise by Clairee’s slapstick humor. You could tell in such moments in the play that the actors were enjoying their lines immensely. These women weren’t just going through the motions with their parts, they had become, like it was mentioned before, immersed in their roles.
Superb acting overall, there was no stand-alone performance that spoke for all. Each performance was equally laudable and spectacular. Under the direction of Brian Kite, these ladies showcased their fine acting with comedic flourish. Running January 7th - 24th with Tues/Wed/Thurs/Sat and Sun matinees at 1pm at the Welk Resorts Theatre, originally founded by the renowned bandleader Lawrence Welk, you can visit: www.WelkTheatreSanDiego.com or email: box.office@welktheatre.com for more information.
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