Tesseract’s “Steel Magnolias” Features Strong Cast, Memorable Atmosphere

Steel Magnolias
by Robert Harling
Directed by Kathryn Bentley
Tesseract Theatre Company
July 27, 2025

Tesseract Theatre Company is currently staging a well-known, oft-staged play in way you may not have seen it before. Best known for the 1989 film based on Robert Harling’s play, Steel Magnolias was also filmed again for television in 2012 with an almost all-Black cast. Tesseract’s production is in a similar vein as the more recent movie, with an all POC cast while maintaining the play’s 1980s Louisiana setting. The casting and direction by Kathryn Bentley honors the setting of the play while also granting a fresh perspective on the characters, while also highlighting the universality of the play’s themes of friendship, family, and the happiness and sorrows of life throughout the changing seasons. 

Unlike the films, which added characters and scenes, the cast and setting of Steel Magnolias the play is simple–six characters, one location. The center of the action is the beauty parlor that Truvy (Joana Dominguez) runs out of her home’s converted garage, and as the play opens, she hires on a new employee–the timid Annelle (Lillie Self-Miller). Soon, we meet the regulars of the shop, including the town’s former First Lady, Clairee (Victoria Pines), the snarky Ouiser (Tammy O’Donnell), and mother and daughter M’Lynn (Margery A. Handy) and Shelby (Lynett Vallejo) as the two prepare for Shelby’s wedding. The main focus in this story is on these two, as the protective M’Lynn is concerned for the health of Shelby, who has diabetes and has been advised by her doctor not to have children. When she does become pregnant, this is cause for more concern for M’Lynn. There’s much in the way of “Southern charm” and culture throughout, with a few modifications reflecting the casting that work well and add a new perspective to the story while also maintaining the spirit of the play.

There are triumphs, tragedies, quirky stories, and a good deal of Southern humor, directed with attention to time, place, and character by Kathryn Bentley, and played with credible energy and engaging humor and warmth by the strong cast, although there are a few moments in which the comic timing could be improved, and there was bit of struggling with lines at times. The cast is strong across the board, with Handy and Vallejo especially shining as the protective M’Lynn and an especially upbeat and memorable Shelby. Pines is also excellent as the cosmopolitan Clairee, and O’Donnell has some fun comic moments as the hilariously crass Ouiser. Dominguez as Truvy is also warm and likable, and Self-Miller is especially convincing as Annelle, who undergoes quite a bit of change throughout the story. The ensemble chemistry and friendship bond is strong among the cast, and there’s a good measure of humor and poignancy, including an especially well-handled fourth act, where the drama comes out in force, but the sense of humor and hope are still there to balance it out.

The set by Brittanie Gunn is detailed and well-appointed, with a credible 80s vibe, and the costume and wig design by Shevaré Perry also adds an authentic, stylish flair. There’s also good work from Cheyenne Grooms on lighting and Stan Chisholm on sound. Overall, the look and feel of the Louisiana beauty shop, circa 1989 is well established and maintained, and the characters are given a suitable stage to shine.

Steel Magnolias is a popular show, and many theatre companies have presented it over the years. Tesseract’s latest production keeps the familiar 1980s vibe but adds an additional perspective that brings out a strong sense of the characters from a different angle. It’s well-cast, it’s full of heart and energy, and it’s likely to provoke laughter and tears from the audience. I’ve been impressed by Tesseract’s work lately, and this show is another fine example. 

The Tesseract Theatre Company is presenting Steel Magnolias at the Marcelle Theatre until August 10th, 2025