Steel Magnolias
By: Robert Harling
Directed by: Logan Gabriel Frederick
Produced By: Lakeside Community Theatre
Audience Rating: PG
Run Time: 2 Hours with a 15 minute Intermission
Accessible Seating: Available with few steps
Hearing Devices: Not Available
Sensory Friendly Show: Not Available
ASL Showing: Not Available
Sound Level: Comfortable Volume Level
Audio/Visuals to prepare For: A few quiet gunshot sound effects.
Reviewed by Michael Winters
Robert Harling drew upon a deep personal loss when writing Steel Magnolias. The death of his sister from Type 1 diabetes inspired a story that explores friendship, family, resilience, and grief, with the impact of the illness woven throughout the lives of its characters. Lakeside Community Theatre, Under the direction of Logan Gabriel Frederick, Lakeside Community Theatre delivers a production that balances humor and heartbreak with remarkable charm.
Brittany Young brings effortless charm to Truvy Jones, the beauty shop owner whose styling chair often doubles as a therapist's couch. Young navigates the character's steady stream of humorous observations with impeccable timing, while revealing the compassion and insight beneath the laughter. In her hands, Truvy becomes the emotional anchor of the salon—a woman whose wisdom arrives not through grand speeches, but through everyday conversations delivered with sincerity, humor, and heart.
Of all the women who pass through Truvy's salon, Anelle Dupuy-Desoto experiences perhaps the most dramatic transformation. Sydney Dyer introduces her as a timid newcomer searching for a job, a young woman who seems uncertain of both herself and her place in the world. As the story unfolds, Anelle gradually finds her footing among the salon's close-knit circle, evolving from an awkward outsider into a valued friend and source of support. Dyer navigates each stage of that journey with sincerity and charm. Her performance is filled with a quiet sweetness that invites the audience to invest in the character from the moment she arrives and celebrate the woman she becomes by the final curtain.
Suzanne Reeves is a delight as Clairee Belcher, the First Lady of Chinquapin Parish who carries herself with grace, confidence, and just enough sass to keep everyone on their toes. Though Clairee is still living with the loss of her husband, the town's former mayor, she meets life with humor, honesty, and a healthy appreciation for good gossip. Reeves finds the perfect balance between Clairee's sharp wit and genuine warmth, creating a character who is as lovable as she is entertaining. She also gets one of the play's most recognizable lines, "If you can't say anything nice, come sit next to me," and delivers it with the kind of timing that reminds you exactly why the quote has remained a favorite for so many years.
Molly Rose brings both warmth and determination to Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie, a young woman who seems to have everything going for her but refuses to let others make life's biggest decisions for her. While Shelby fits the image of the charming Southern sweetheart, Rose never allows the character to become a stereotype. Instead, she reveals a woman who is loving, strong-willed, and determined to live life on her own terms, regardless of the consequences. As the emotional center of the story, Shelby's choices affect everyone around her, and Rose handles that responsibility with a natural ease that makes the character feel genuine. When the play reaches one of its most emotionally charged moments, she responds with believable intensity, allowing the audience to feel the weight of the situation without ever pushing the emotion too far.
Kathleen Powderly gives a deeply affecting performance as M'Lynn Eatenton, a mother who spends much of the play holding herself together for the sake of everyone around her. Beneath her calm demeanor is a constant undercurrent of worry, and Powderly skillfully lets the audience glimpse that concern without ever making it the focus of every scene.
That restraint pays off in the play's most emotional moments. Earlier scenes are marked by a gentle warmth and composure that make M'Lynn's eventual grief even more devastating. When she finally allows years of fear, frustration, anger, and heartbreak to surface, Powderly avoids melodrama and instead grounds the moment in recognizable human emotion. Her reaction feels less like a performance and more like a mother struggling to make sense of an unimaginable loss. One of Harling's most heartbreaking lines arrives when M'Lynn reflects,
I realize as a woman how lucky I am. I was there when that wonderful creature drifted into my life and I was there when she drifted out. It was the most precious moment of my life.
Ouiser Boudreaux, played by Stacy L. Simpson, storms into scenes with impeccable comic timing and a razor-sharp tongue. It would be easy to play Ouiser as little more than the town curmudgeon, but Simpson finds humanity beneath the character's constant complaints and cutting remarks. Every sarcastic jab feels rooted in a woman who cares more than she is willing to admit. Her portrayal allows the audience to laugh at Ouiser's blunt observations while also recognizing the affection and loyalty hidden beneath her prickly exterior. The result is a character who is both wonderfully entertaining and surprisingly endearing.
The design team deserves special recognition for creating a world that feels both inviting and authentic. Director/Scenic Designer Frederick, Costume Designer Jessie Wallace, and Lighting Designer Rose Mahaffey work together to create a soft pastel world that feels perfectly suited to the story. The attention to detail extends to Tayler Otey Veer's props, which add an extra layer of authenticity to Truvy's beauty shop. Small touches help ground the setting in reality like the coffee mugs that looked remarkably similar to ones I remember from my grandmother's kitchen, help make the space feel lived-in and real.
One of the production's most effective choices is its refusal to overplay the material. Conversations unfold with the ease and familiarity of people who have known each other for years, and the cast handles the Southern accents with a light touch. Rather than leaning into caricature, they allow the characters' personalities to define them, creating relationships that feel honest and recognizable.
A quote tucked away in one of the actor's biographies captures the essence of this production beautifully, describing the story as “a marvelous example of womanhood and the complex beauty it holds.” By the final curtain, that sentiment feels less like a description and more like a testament to what unfolds onstage through the talents of this delightful ensemble. Tickets available at lctthecolony.com
Let theatre take you places—it’s worth the ride.
Michael Winters
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