"Delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel." This is the phrase that has been used worldwide to describe the six gossipy Southern ladies who are taking over the Muncie Civic Theatre with their hilarious yet touching antics.
"Steel Magnolias" will be opening this weekend on the Mainstage Theatre at the Muncie Civic Theatre. This is the first show of the theatre's 80th season.
"Steel Magnolias" is a comedy-drama play that was written by Robert Harling, who wrote the play based on experiences he had with the death of his sister.
The play is based on the bond of a group of Southern women from Louisiana who regularly gather at a local beauty parlor. The main storyline includes Shelby, a soon-to-be married young lady with a series of medical battles, and her mother, M'Lynn. Other storylines include the formation of an unlikely friendship, family relationships and a new girl in town with extremely high morals. The friendship among all six women, however, stands out throughout the drama.
Todd Sandman, business and artistic director for Muncie Civic Theatre, said that "Steel Magnolias" is a great and touching way to start the season. He described the play as a great story with lots of heart and universal themes.
"This is a story of dear friends who raise their families together," Sandman said. "These women have a ritual of getting together at a small-town beauty parlor and sharing their lives with one another. They're very diverse, but they care so deeply for one another. This play brings back the meaning of true friendship."
Sandman said a committee of individuals involved with the theater chose the play. Anyone can submit ideas to the committee for upcoming seasons. The committee looks for many things in the selections, including demographics and commercial value. This season, the committee looked for those qualities in the shows and also looked for more name recognition.
Robert Dirden, the director of "Steel Magnolias," said there have been no major obstacles with the productions he has done during his 25-year career. He said scheduling could be difficult sometimes, but it was simple to accommodate the six-person cast of "Steel Magnolias."
"The smaller the cast, the easier it is to work with," Dirden said. "With this cast, there were new friends and old friends. It was good mix with this one."
Sandman said that this production was very popular with the ladies and that the auditions were fierce. He said the passion of the actresses has been his favorite part of the production.
"These ladies are emotionally putting themselves out there," Sandman said. "To be that vulnerable in public is intense, and they do it so well. It is lovely to watch."
Sandman said he hopes the audience takes away the importance of good friends from "Steel Magnolias."
"In this mass communication world, we are losing that personal connection," he said. "This play is about [the] importance of getting back in touch and of the bonds we make."
Dirden said he wants audiences to come and enjoy the production.
"These are six women with a passion about what they do," he said. "They're not getting paid for this, but they still enjoy it. This is live theater, and no one knows what's going to happen."
Dirden also said that audiences will laugh and cry a bit. He said they will go through "a barrel of emotions."
"Steel Magnolias" shows will be held Sept. 16-17, 23-25 & 29 and Oct. 1. Thursday through Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday matinee on Sept. 25 is at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for students with an ID.
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