"Steel Magnolias" - Stage Nine, Folsom

Excellent show, featuring six, experienced actresses in a joint Stage Nine/Runaway Stage production, directed by Bob Baxter, in Folsom.

There is just one locale, a beauty parlor, where Saturday morning meetings of local women give shape and meaning to events in a small Louisiana town.

Truvy (Karen Day) runs the beauty parlor in a bright, happy manner, always trolling for romantic gossip or freely handing out sensible advice. Vulnerable Annelle (Lauren Miller) is the new hire, Miss Clairee (Peggy Huntsman), widow of a former mayor, is the voice of experience, and irritable, opinionated Ouiser (Mary Young) is present to cast scorn on weak-thinking.

The marriage of diabetic Shelby (Katie Veale) and her battles with her skeptical mother, M’Lynn (Kathleen Flint), form the central axis around which the rest of the play revolves. M'Lynn has the most difficult role in the entire drama, having to suffer through, and make meaning of, her daughter's terrible trials.

There was a lot of tactile action in the play, by which I mean a lot of fussing with hair. Since the stage and the audience are so close together, there are opportunities for inadvertent interaction. At one point, I made eye contact with Huntsman, which I found embarrassing, because I believe I was slightly groggy and my eyes were crossed at that point. We all appreciated the pacing - there was never a sense of the play dragging. The actresses are all strong, and since there are but six, they have become a very close-knit, unified, experienced group.

Nice set of friends there too!: Jon & Eileen Beaver and Ron & Kaitlin Flint, MikeMac, and, of course, Steve & Jan Isaacson. Afterwards, the cast and ourselves all repaired to the 'Hacienda' across the street, ate burritos and nachos, and had no option but to listen to eighties cover music (Tom Petty & Simple Minds, among others).

“Steel Magnolias” continues through August 19 at Stage Nine Entertainment Store & Theatre, 717 Sutter Street in Historic Folsom. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 4 p.m. Tickets are $22 general, $20 for seniors and children. For reservations and information, call (916) 353-1001.