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Steel Magnolias to return to Barrhead this April

The revival of Barrhead Community Theatre means that one of its greatest hits is also returning to the stage: the acclaimed 1987 play Steel Magnolias, which was performed in Barrhead just over a decade ago.
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Hairdressers Annelle and Truvy (Amy Caldwell and Tonia Young) tend to the hair of their customers Claree Belcher (Anjy Wannot) and young Shelby (Ryann Davies) in this scene from Steel Magnolias.

The revival of Barrhead Community Theatre means that one of its greatest hits is also returning to the stage: the acclaimed 1987 play Steel Magnolias, which was performed in Barrhead just over a decade ago.

Steel Magnolias will open at the Barrhead Composite High School drama theatre on Friday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m., followed by evening performances  on April 11, 12 and 13. There will also be a matinee performance at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 6.

Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased at The Flower Shoppe or at the door. Proceeds from this production will be donated to the Alberta Children’s Diabetes Summer Camp (also known as D-Camp).

The play is being directed by Melanie Higgins, who also served as director during the first run of Steel Magnolias 12 years ago. She has directed many other plays in Barrhead, including a musical production of Bye Bye Birdie in 2004.

Reprising their roles are Amy Caldwell as Annelle and Lorna Schafer as M’Lynn Eatenton. They are joined by Ryann Davies (Shelby), Karen Davies (“Ouiser” Boudreaux), Anjy Wannot (Claree Belcher), Tonia Young (Truvy Jones) and Wilfred Butler (the unseen radio announcer).

Steel Magnolias, which was adapted into a Hollywood film in 1989, is a comedy-drama about the emotional bonds shared by a group of six women in the American Southwest who either work at or frequent a hair salon.

When asked what about the play appeals to her enough to direct it twice, Higgins said, “I love the women. I love the characters in the play. They’re all so different, but yet there’s things that bind them together — womanhood, for one thing, and their community.”

Higgins said the characters are all so supportive of one another despite the fact that they all come from different walks of life. Annelle, for instance, is extremely religious, while Ouiser is a caustic single woman that doles out sarcastic wit.

“I would like all of them to be my friends, those characters,” Higgins.

While it does have its share of laughs, the play has an element of tragedy to it as well, as the youngest character Shelby — who has Type 1 diabetes — is determined to have a child despite the warnings of her doctors that it may kill her.

The playwright, Robert Harling, based the story in part on his sister Susan, who died in 1985 from diabetic complications after the birth of her son.

“The whole play really revolves around (Shelby’s) diabetes and her wanting a normal life and all the support she gets from the people around her,” Higgins said.

The play can get very emotional, particularly in the final act. Even though she knows those scenes are coming and has seen them many times, Higgins said she thinks that she cries just about every time.

Even so, the play is not all dark. This is perhaps best exemplified by one of Truvy’s line, where she comments that her favourite emotion is laughing through tears.

“And that’s one of my favourite lines from  that play, because even though there is tragedy in your life, you can always find that humour,” she said.

Although the 1989 film obviously took place in a number of locations, the play is set entirely in Truvy’s salon.

“It doesn’t matter where you see it in the world it’s always going to be in that hairdressing shop,” Higgins said.

Besides the cast and herself, Higgins noted that Chris Schaffrick is assisting her with this production, as she has done with every play she has directed since Bye Bye Birdie.

Butler is playing the radio announcer and is also handling sound for the production.

While Barrhead Community Theatre is still finding its legs after being resurrected in the fall with a production of “Grace and Glorie,” Higgins said she is glad to see it return, noting that she loves theatre.

“It’s good to be part of it, no matter what you’re doing,” she said. ““It’s very nice for Barrhead. I think we need it.”

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