Steel Magnolias Stages in Springs

Springs Community Theater presents "Steel Magnolias" by Robert Harling. The southern tearjerker--made famous by the film starring Sally Field, Olympia Dukakis, Shirley McClain, Dolly Parton, Darryl Hannah and Julia Roberts--will stage at the Springs Presbyterian Church on Fridays and Saturdays, January 20 and 21, and 27 and 28, at 7 p.m. each night.

Locally starring Shelley Bennett, Susan Conklin, Vay David, Jayne Freedman, Virginia Haller and Claire Hopkins, and directed by Kathleen Horn and Diana Horn, the story is set in Truvy's beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies who are "anybody" come to have their hair done. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (who is not sure whether or not she is still married), the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town's rich curmudgeon, Ouiser, ("I'm not crazy, I've just been in a bad mood for forty years"); an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M'Lynn, whose daughter, Shelby (the prettiest girl in town), is about to marry a "good ole boy." Filled with hilarious repartee and not a few acerbic but humorously revealing verbal collisions, the play moves toward tragedy when, in the second act, the spunky Shelby (who is a diabetic) risks pregnancy and forfeits her life. The sudden realization of their mortality affects the others, but also draws on the underlying strength—and love—which give the play, and its characters, the special quality to make them truly touching, funny and marvelously amiable company in good times and bad.

The Springs Community Theater Company was founded in 2005 by Barbara Mattson, an Assistant Office Manager at Douglas Elliman in East Hampton, and Jayne Freedman a mother of five who owns Jayne E’s Family Cuts in East Hampton. Both live in The Springs. There’s lots of love, laugher and camaraderie packed into this grass roots theater company that formed 10 years ago to fill what was perceived as a community theater void in the East Hampton area. Members of the company pitch into make costumes and build sets.

Tickets are $20, and $15 for seniors and students. Purchase tickets online at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs... or by calling Ovation Tix at (866) 811-4111 or Barbara Mattson at (516) 658-5735.