“Steel Magnolias” Blossom at Parkway West

As the title suggests, the women in "Steel Magnolias" are seemingly as delicate as flowers, but they are tough as well. In Parkway West High's production, the all-female cast is as tough as steel.

The play, a comedy-drama written by Robert Harling, is based on the true story of his sister. It centers on a group of women whose lives revolve around Truvy's beauty parlor in a small Louisiana parish.

While the first half draws the audience in with witty dialogue and snappy one-liners, the second half is striking in its drama, and it's performed with an admirable subtlety and sensitivity by the cast.

Not to despair, though. The play ends on an uplifting note with the promise that life goes on; there are always more happy times and clever repartee to come.

Director Amie Gossett, head of Parkway West's theater department, chose a play with an all-female cast for a reason, but still faced casting difficulties.

"I had a really good group of girls to pull from," she said. "Casting was difficult because I had 20 girls I could have cast, but this group worked best."

Gossett had other concerns as well. The characters not only have pronounced personalities, but there is also a vast range in ages.

"We have a very young department," Gossett said. "The average age (of acting students) is 15, and there are not a lot of seniors. It's difficult to have 15 year olds play 60 year olds."

The actresses faced another challenge: speaking in a heavy Southern dialect. Each performer had her own method of honing the accent.

"I walked around my house speaking in a Southern accent for about a week until it finally came to me," junior Kate McCallister, who plays Truvy, said.

"It was personal ability," Kelli Jaicox said. Jaicox is a sophomore who plays Clairee Belcher. "We never had any classes. We just fell into them."

The cast didn't share every challenge. Kathryn Hunter, a sophomore who plays diabetic Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie, has an attack that propels the drama in the second act.

"I had to research what happened," Hunter said, "I had to get the facial part down. It was challenging. Then I watched Julia Roberts in the movie."

Likewise, Jaycox has a pivotal emotional breakdown.

"There's a big difference between emotions and I tried to draw from my own life," Jaycox said. "How do I get into this state and how does it relate to my character so I can cry onstage?"

In an ensemble show like "Steel Magnolias," cast members draw on each other's talents, abilities and performances, and they form a bond not unlike the characters that populate Trudy's Beauty Salon. The actors' camaraderie was evident both onstage and off.

"It's so amazing," Hunter said. "Everyone has distinct personalities in real life and the characters, and everyone is so much like their characters."

McCallister agreed. "It was constant, hard work, and every one was there 110 percent every day. We were all connected so well as a cast, we were able to make the show what it is, and the crew too. We wouldn't make it without the crew."

"Steel Magnolias" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $7 for adults, $6 for students and $5 for International Thespian Society members.

Steel Magnolias Cast List

Kate McAllister: Truvy Jones
Megan Hawkins: Annelle Dupuy Desoto
Kelli Jaycox: Clairee Belcher
Kathryn Hunter: Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie
Emma Stewart: M'Lynn Eatenton
Marilyn Ransin: Ouiser Boudreaux