Janet Wood, Cynthia Payo, Savannah Mortenson, Faye Reynolds, April Audia, and Sara Shearer (Photo by Doug Engalla)
Reviewed by Julia Stier
The Group Rep
Through April 26
RECOMMENDED
I was remembering my own fond memories of performing Steel Magnolias back in high school when I settled in to watch the this classic by Robert Harling at The Group Rep, whose current production is directed by Kathleen R. Delaney.
But the play itself wasn’t the only thing that felt familiar. When the life and breath of the show, Shelby, finally entered the stage, there was a nagging familiarity about her. I flipped open the playbill and found that my memories of high school had conjured up another one in the flesh: The actress playing Shelby and I had gone to high school together, all the way back in San Antonio, Texas, more years ago than I care to admit!
The theater is a small world, indeed.
Disclosure out of the way, now on to the review.
Having risen to popularity thanks to the star-studded 1989 film, Steel Magnolias centers around a group of Southern women who gather in their favorite haunt — Truvy’s beauty parlor — to swap recipes and secrets, and to carry each other through their successes and tragedies. The play is funny, female-forward, surprisingly progressive, and with more than enough scenes that pass the Bechdel test.
Our group of gossipers pivot around Truvy (Cynthia Payo) the owner of the salon. Payo brings a charm and wit to the character that would have anyone spilling their life story once she gets them in her chair. New girl Annelle (Faye Reynolds), starts the show tight-lipped and skittish, but quietly transforms as she finds herself. Clairee (Sara Shearer) the former first lady of the town, hides a mischievous disposition behind a “proper” exterior; she and her best friend, the hotheaded Ousier (Janet Wood), are to be credited for many of the play’s laugh-out-loud moments.
Then there’s the heart and soul of the play, Shelby (Savannah Mortenson) and her mother, M’Lynn (April Audia). The play follows a timeline of major events in Shelby’s life — her wedding, pregnancy, health scare, and finally, her untimely death. Mortenson is pure sunshine as Shelby, yet not all is rainbows and butterflies in her life. Audia is the port in the storm of this Southern drama. She may not have many of the play’s punchlines, but she shines in the final act, when she skillfully reflects for us he emotional gut punch of Shelby’s death.
Shoutout to costume designer Angela Manke for nailing Shelby’s all-pink ensembles.
The Group Rep, 10900 Burbank Blvd., N. Hollywood. Fri.-Sat., 8 pm, Sun., 2 pm; thru April 26. thegrouprep.com. Running time: two hours with a 10 minute intermission.
