‘Steel Magnolias’ a powerful character study at Woodstock Opera House

Theatre 121′s Woodstock production of “Steel Magnolias” is a timeless character study of the inner workings of female friendships. Set in Louisiana in the ’80s, it brings us into the warmth of Truvy’s Beauty Shop and the relationships that evolve inside it during life’s toughest moments.

The poignant story, written in just 10 days, was based upon true events in author Robert Harling’s life, and how he viewed the women who helped his mother navigate the death of his sister.

The scenic design by Justin Charles and C. Thomas Graf makes us feel like we are looking right into the window of Truvy’s Beauty Shop and into some really tender and private moments.

While the show was directed appropriately as an ensemble piece, and each character holds their own, the famous monologue by M’Lynn Eatenton (played adeptly by Tracey Lanman) is done with just the right amount of drive and emotion. It’s like watching someone’s heart break right before your eyes, and then watching all her friends help try to put it back together. The injustice of a young or untimely death is always shocking and inexplicable. It is communicated effectively enough to make you hold your breath watching it.

One amazing aspect of this production is that there were really wonderful Louisiana accents tackled by each cast member. That placed the show directly where it should be, and made the actors live up to the play’s title. The softness and beauty of a Southern magnolia was underpinned by the steely determination of a powerful social construct founded on the support of female friendships.

Watching how all of them envelop the newcomer Annelle (played with just the right amount of quirkiness by Nora Brown) with support, love, tolerance and a few eye-rolls is very true to the written story and the famous movie. We watch the arc of the two young people in the show, Annelle and Truvy, who come from very different worlds but are still taken under the wing of the older magnolias. The generational support is a marvel and credible, to boot.

While they all held their own, Alison Hage as Clairee Belcher is wonderful to watch. She played Martha in Theatre 121′s production of “White Christmas,” and continues to be a standout.

One should not expect the movie version in this rendition. Instead, the Theatre 121 interpretation appropriately focused on the character work, and was a very well-done and thought-out production. A nod also should go to sound designer Adam Milne for the addition of some great 1980s music to set the scene, and to the wonderful projections upstage of the set.

Tickets, which start at $20 and offer senior and student options, can be purchased online at www.theatre121.org or at the box office.

• Mary Beth Euker is a founding director of Cricket Theatre Company in Lake Zurich, has appeared in shows at Devonshire Theatre in Skokie and Woodstock Opera House, and directs at Lake Zurich Middle School North and Spencer Loomis Elementary School.

IF YOU GO

• WHAT: Theatre 121 presents “Steel Magnolias”

• WHERE: Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., Woodstock

• WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays through April 28

• COST: Tickets start at $20

• INFORMATION: theatre121.org