By Eva Trieger
LA MESA, California –Sometimes a small story speaks volumes creating ripples that reverberate across a pond, or perhaps even an entire ocean. Steel Magnolias is just such a story.
The tale of a mother-daughter relationship in a little southern town speaks to everyone who has ever had or been a friend, loved a mother or been worried about a daughter, or experienced joy, love, fear and loss. In short, all of us can relate to this sensitive story. Lamplighters’ Community Theatre in La Mesa delivers this poignant tale with beauty, compassion and elegance.
Director Kara Tuckfield shares that the story was written in the memory of women, not only a mother and daughter, but their circle of female friends who served as staunch supporters and fierce warriors. This bond of love doesn’t always take the form of a warm fuzzy exchange. At times it is fraught with disagreement, flaring tempers and occasionally, drawing a line in the sand. Yet, the message is that the shared love overrides all of the discord, and in the end, all we can do is support and hold each other up, whatever life doles out to us.
In a beauty shop in the fictional town of Chinquapin, Louisiana, salon owner, Truvy (Januari Simpson), provides shampoos, styling, haircuts and unsolicited advice for her clients. Her clientele are the rather well-to-do, and gather regularly to gossip and celebrate life’s milestones. At the play’s opening, a young woman, Annelle (Aarin Wilson) arrives in town and is hired by Truvy as an assistant. She is a quiet, anxious woman, and clearly is not accustomed to the habits of the locals, flinching at gunshots and attendant hollering.
The audience is also introduced to Shelby (Abbie Black) and her mother, M’Lynn (Shelley Benoit) as they arrive at the salon on Shelby’s wedding day. The bond they share is apparent as is their struggle to allow for individuality. Shelby has some health challenges that make her mother hover even closer than other moms. Yet, she wants to respect her daughter’s choices and independence.
Additional characters enter the salon and enhance the viewer’s experience. Clairee (Linda Benning) the mayor’s wife, is a charming addition to the party with an acerbic wit and depth of understanding of what Chinquapin is all about. She is very good friends with the irascible Ouiser (Liza Wizmer) who “has been in a bad mood for forty years.” These two characters provide comic relief for the bulk of the play.
Through their sarcasm and biting wit the theatre goers are able to follow the timeline for Shelby and evolve with them
We see her go from fiancée, to newlywed, to young mother and beyond.
This production, thanks to Producer Pam Stompoly, engages viewers from the opening scene until the closing curtain. Every actor delivers the best version of the character, and I dare you to leave dry eyed!
Steel Magnolias is running until August 3rd at Lamplighters Community Theatre. Tickets may be purchased online at lamplighterslamesa.com or by phone at 619.303.5092
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Trieger is a freelance writer specializing in the coverage of the arts.