Steel Magnolias Moved Me to Laughter and Tears at Yellow Tree Theatre

Steel Magnolias is the kind of play women will want to go to with their girlfriends, daughter, mothers and in a pinch drag their husbands and boyfriends to. And they are going to love every second of it, with the possible exception of the husbands and boyfriends. Am I saying men will not like it, no I am not, I loved it. If your husband or boyfriend has ever cried at a movie, or as in my case every movie and the odd very special episode of iCarly, those are the ones to bring with you and they will likely thank you for it. Know your man, and then plan accordingly, if he’s emotionally available to the arts, bring him. If he isn’t, then only bring him if he’s been bad. For those without available girlfriends/sisters/daughters etc. call my wife she’ll go again, in fact so would I but I think I’m scheduled to see other shows every single night of my life. This is my second production of Steel Magnolias, still haven’t seen the film, but that will be rectified sooner or later. My take away this time is much the same as when I saw it at the Guthrie in 2019 just after starting The Stages of MN, damn this is a well written play! Also, as with that production I am blown away by the cast. Six actors that know how to pull out every ounce of humor and tug every heartstring without pandering to the audience. The emotions we feel whether laughter or tears come freely and honestly based on the connection we have formed with these characters. That only happens when you have actors of quality investing their roles with truth.

The story centers around the hair salon run out of her home by Truvy, who keeps Saturday just for the neighborhood woman. As the play opens, she’s just hired a nervous young woman named Annelle to help out in the Salon. It’s a big day as one of the regulars, M’lynn’s daughter Shelby is getting married. The Saturday regulars also include Clairee, who was recently widowed when her husband of almost 50 years died, and Ouiser who comes off as the old grump of the group. These women are not just the regular Saturday morning customers, they are a group of true and caring friends. Shelby’s wedding is a celebration for all of them, as are all the moments that happen throughout the four scenes that comprise the play. Each scene jumps ahead in time and follows important times in Shelby’s life starting with her wedding day and continuing to her pregnancy and on. Though it’s not just Shelby’s story, it’s the story of all of these woman and the community and support they provide one another. It’s beautiful, it’s very funny, it’s very truthful, and at times very very emotional.

We usually play a game on the ride home after a play called who was your favorite? It gets the ball rolling, when there is a consensus it tells me my instinct is right and so and so did something special, when we have a disagreement it sparks me to think about what an actor did that worked for me. Tonight, the consensus, all of them were our favorites. I went in knowing most of the cast from previous work so I knew there was talent on stage. Some like Tara Borman, who plays Shelby, has been making a strong impression over the last couple of years, having become one of those performers whose name alone puts a show on my calendar. Tolu Ekisola, who plays Truvy, just earned her place on that list as well with this performance combined with her recent roles in Once Upon a Time…Josephine Baker! and The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington. Laura Esping’s performance as Ouiser is a perfectly modulated balance between loveable crumudgen and dry wit. Maggie Cramer’s turn as Annelle captures the characters growth from timid and lost newcomer to one of the group of close knit woman, with each scene change we see her come bit by bit into her own. Jane Froiland as M’lynn, Shelby’s mother is always calm, always even keeled, making her final moments of the play all the more powerful. Nora Targonski-O’Brien who plays Clairee embodies the Southern Woman who has lived and learned and grown wise and compassionate, there is such a spark in her that one wishes she were their Aunt.

I want to say a word here about Yellow Tree Theatre and it’s Artistic Director and Director of this play Austene Van. Yellow Tree provides a vital role in today’s theater scene. In a world of shrinking audiences Yellow Tree brings Professional Theater to an area outside of the Cities. For folk who don’t want to travel into Minneapolis or St. Paul, come on, we all know those people who just hate to drive in the city, it provides exposure to the magic and power of theater. This is a key link in the chain that leads to what needs to be the prime objective of all theaters today, creating new audiences. That is done by producing work that moves people, whether it be to laugh, cry, or think and to do so in a way that makes them want to repeat that experience. Yellow Tree does that time and time again. Austene Van’s name can be found in programs all over the Twin cities and nationally. She directs and acts at the Guthrie as well as other theaters besides Yellow Tree, she choreographs, she writes, she sells concessions, she probably sews costumes and vacuums up the lobby at the end of the night as well. She makes a living doing theater, but she also dedicates herself to running Yellow Tree to keeping it going through sound system failures and those aforementioned shrinking audiences. She is tirelessly working towards that prime objective of creating new audiences while creating great theater. You don’t get six favorites performances in one show without a hell of a Director at the helm guiding all that talent to create a singular vision.

So there are two things I’d like to ask you to do aside from attending Steel Magnolias, which I already know you’ll do because it’s such a rewarding show. Please bring a friend who doesn’t often or hasn’t gone to the theater before with you. Expose someone new or remind someone of how thrilling and moving life theater can be. Secondly, give to the Max day is almost here please consider donating to Yellow Tree Theatre to help keep quality theater in the outer ring cities. There are a lot of theaters that can use your support and I encourage you to donate to all of your favorites, but maybe an extra $5 to Yellow Tree for fighting the fight out in the sticks away from the draw of the bright lights of the big city. Let’s keep the porch lights on for these smaller theaters who are catering to less frequent theatergoers and hopefully moving them to come back again and again. Here is the link to donate to Yellow Tree https://ci.ovationtix.com/35626/store/donations/39012

Maggie Cramer, Jane Froiland, Tara Borman, and Tolu Ekisola Photos by Alex Clark