By Victoria Walker
Staff Writer
After a successful fall season, the Westford Academy Theater Arts department started off the new year strong with a black box show. Thursday was the opening night of their second main stage production of the year, Steel Magnolias.
The play, written by Robert Harling, is being directed by Dennis Canty, assisted directed by junior Matt Ruelle and stage managed by junior Dayle Welch. The cast features junior Jenie Michael and senior Julia Stern as Annelle, senior Tia Ryder as Clairee, senior Laura Pickersgill as M’Lynn, senior Patty McInerney as Ouiser, junior Renee Craig as Shelby, senior Leah DeTolla as Truvy, senior Zack Dicktakis as Radio DJ, and juniors Abby Crossley and Sarah Talaid, and sophomores Jackie Benoit and Katie Kandra as the maid chorus.
The story, based in the fictional city of Chinquapin Parish, Louisiana, revolves around the lives and friendships of six Southern women, Truvy, Annelle, Clairee, Ouiser, Shelby and M’Lynn, who regularly congregate in Truvy’s beauty parlor. Over a two year period, the women struggle to come to terms with their families, friends and relationships, overcome medical difficulties and discover themselves. Starting on the morning of Shelby’s wedding in 1982, Steel Magnolias is a play of personal transformation, difficult decisions and unlikely friendships for six women who are tough as steel, but gentle as magnolia flowers.
The cast has been working hard since auditions, building the world of the play from the ground up during rehearsals.
“The schedule’s been quite manageable,” said Michael. “It was Monday through Thursday 6:30-9:00, then we added 2:00-8:00 Sundays after the break. But, because midterms were pushed back a week, having tech week at the same time hasn’t been easy. We do have a 5:00 curfew for midterms week, but we put so much into our rehearsals that I find myself exhausted by the time I get home. Dennis Canty, the director, has been very understanding, and has given us time to study.”
Michael found that memorizing lines and character development have been somewhat challenging for this show, but the process has been a fun one.
“There’s not a lot of scripted context for [Annelle], which is an added challenge. However, this also gave me a lot of creative freedom to develop her, which has been a lot of fun. I’ve filled a lot of blanks and drawn conclusions and interpreted the lines in a way that fits those conclusions. It’s been hard, but it’s also been fun,” she said.
Audiences can look foreward to moments of emotion, bursts of laughter and fabulous hairstyles. It is a play about a beauty salon, after all. Michael is looking forward to putting on the finished show for the audience to enjoy.
“All in all, the show is fun. There are so many funny moments. There are also a few heavy moments, moments that make you think and feel. In the show, Truvy says ‘Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.’ This show is full of just that. I love those moments, and I think the audience will too,” said Michael.
Performances of Steel Magnolias will be on January 24th, 25th and 26th at 7:30 pm and the 27th at 2:00 pm, in the WA Performing Arts Center.
