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The San Pedro Playhouse is staging a popular production. Melissa Utley is the director, and she says "Steel Magnolias" delivers.
“I think it's because of the very rich celebration of female friendship and all of its quirky, complicated, resilient glory, and it's a production that we see pop up across the nation in regional theaters over and over and over again,” Utley said.
"Steel Magnolias" tells the poignant story of a group of women who form a bond in a Louisiana beauty salon. They share their joys and sorrows. The story is heartfelt and moving. It's an enduring one, as it celebrates friendship and community.
Utley thinks the emotional bonds in this play are perhaps even more relevant now than it was when it was first written in the '80s.
“Given the past few years that we've had the pandemic, political turmoil, just this general heaviness that we're all carrying around with us,” she said. “I can't think of a better time to tell this story.”
Most people likely know "Steel Magnolias" as a movie, but its first iteration was on Broadway. It was written by Robert Harling and was first performed off-Broadway in 1987. The story was based on Harling’s own life and the experience of his sister’s death from diabetes.
“The movie was a celebrated, beloved classic. And you know, what a lot of people don't know is that the stage version was actually first,” Utley said. “It debuted in 1987 on Broadway, and then the film followed in 1989.”
The film was set in the South and acted by a powerhouse group of primarily women. Utley thinks authentic characters and a great story make this production a winner.
“I want to see resilience on stage," she said. "I want to see characters who see each other through the dark times and celebrate the good ones and women who speak with candor and generosity and great humor."
With a production like this one, casting is critical.
“There's an old saying in directing that, you know, 80% of doing the job is finding the right cast,” she said. “One of the things I love about the cast is it's a multi-generational group of friends that all bring something different to the table.
This production is likely to be very popular, so "Steel Magnolias" runs the entire month, from May 7 through June 7, at San Pedro Playhouse.
