Steel Magnolias

I’d never seen the play that the movie was based on until this production at Geva Theatre. And even though I know the ending (because who hasn’t seen the memorable 1989 movie?), it still snuck up on me.

I was privileged to be able to attend both an open rehearsal for donors and a run-through of most of the second act with a couple of students under director Skip Greer’s tutelage. The donor viewing coincided with the cast and production team working out the transition from Scene 1 to Scene 2 in Act 2. Yes, they actually spent almost 45 minutes working on what will take less than a minute to get through when perfected. While that might sound tedious to observe, it was actually more fun that watching the actors run their lines. Not only do the stagehands need to move various articles around the stage, to indicate the passing of time, but the actors all need to do significant costume changes. Oh, and get into place back on stage, in the dark. Since there are stairs to be navigated, someone brought out glow tape and marked the landings, so none of the actors would trip and fall. Eve Plumb, who plays Clairee (the Olympia Dukakis role), practiced getting to her chair several times, and we could see her counting her steps: how many to the stairs, how many down the stairs, how many to the chair. During the scene change, we are entertained with a Cyndi Lauper song, and Skip as a radio announcer (I don’t think that’s giving anything away…). They rehearsed the scene change twice, working out details such as who enters from which door, precisely how a belt is to be buckled, and where the phone needs to be. Too soon, “dinner” was called (at 4:00…), and the actors all left the stage. It was truly fascinating!

Director Skip Greer, with various members
of the production team

The next day, I got to watch the second act run-through. There was only one flubbed line, and the scene transition was flawless. It might as well have been a dress rehearsal, as far as I was concerned. All of a sudden, at 4:00, which must be the witching hour, someone called “hold,” and all of the actors froze. Again, it was time for dinner break. The action was stopped at a particularly passionate point in the play, before the catharsis, and one of the actors remained on stage – it appeared she was still caught in that emotion and having trouble getting out of character to leave. It was then that I saw what a sensitive director Skip is – he went to her immediately, and while I couldn’t hear what he said, I could tell he was helping her let go. I didn't stay to hear his discussion with his students, but I imagine he is just as dedicated and thoughtful with them as with his actors.

I can’t wait for opening night and am sorry I won’t be able to see the show twice. It’s got a short run – only four weeks – and it can’t be extended because of the surprise return of Million Dollar Quartet. The show runs May 8 to June 3, and tickets are selling briskly – for more information visit: gevatheatre.org