Saturday, January 21, 2006
The characters' relationships to one another are the main theme of the play.
By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Most of the time, choosing the right cast members for a play makes the difference between its success or failure. Director Kathy Appugliese was right on target when she chose her six women for the current Youngstown Playhouse production, "Steel Magnolias." Everything worked: the energy, the chemistry and the individual people. Their performance was impressive and enjoyable.
Cast and characters
The play begins as an unfolding of personalities. Each woman's entrance and opening dialogue in Truvy's Beauty Salon, where the entire play was set, gave the audience a clear picture of what that character was about. Terri Wilkes brilliantly provided the ray of sunshine as Truvy, who, in spite of being married to a useless couch potato, lived life with a smile and somehow managed to see a cheerful angle in every situation. She credited her steady flow of customers on her life motto: "There is no such thing as natural beauty."
Michelene Pancoe, a newcomer to YP stage, wonderfully portrayed Annelle, the new girl in town whom Truvy hired to assist her in the shop. Beginning as the na & iuml;vely innocent and scared young woman with a mysterious past, her character added the deepest element of undisguised emotion and seriousness, bringing the audience to tears in the last scene, the opposite end of the spectrum to Truvy.
Regina Reynolds played Clairee, the widow of the former mayor, with great skill. Though her character was the most reserved, Reynolds succeeded in pushing her to the edge of her boundaries, often unexpectedly bursting out with some of the most hilarious one-liners in the play.
Celebrating a wedding
The action begins as the ladies gather to have their hair done to celebrate Shelby's wedding that afternoon. Sara Klimenko glowed as Shelby, who, despite her physical frailties, lives her life without recognition of limitations. A mixture of sweet and stubborn, her attitude of "live life to its fullest" was an inspiration to all who knew her.
Laura Phillips had perhaps the most difficult character to portray. M'Lynn, Shelby's mother, never let her barriers down. Totally devoted to Shelby, she worried and doted, yet downplayed her affection. To her, Shelby was a delicate, fragile ornament that would crush if held too tightly. Though the depth of her love remained subdued throughout most of the play, her outpouring in the last scene had the audience sobbing; a superb performance.
Annie Finnerty James was hysterical as Ouiser, and perfectly captured the personality of this crabby, crotchety and cynical character. There weren't many serious moments when she was onstage, even in the most heartfelt scenes.
A story of friendship
While it was important to know what made each character tick, it was their relationships to one another that provided the main action of the play. Unlike some plays that have a complex or profound plot, this one does not; in fact, it requires very little thinking on the part of the audience. But the script is so well written that it is the dialogue alone, bits and pieces of a few days in the life of six Southern women, that absolutely holds the listeners in grips. At the end of the performance, the audience has the feeling they have known these people all their lives. The play is filled with humor that cuts through the dialogue like a sharp knife, and heartbreaking moments that sting the eyes, yet it is neither a comedy nor a drama. But what it gives to the audience is an opportunity to be uplifted and feel good about the human race, and that is very powerful, indeed. This performance is a must-see.
It runs weekends through Feb. 5, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. (330) 788-8739.