Elizabeth Ruddell has a past connection to the play “Steel Magnolias.”
The Zionsville resident once played the role of Truvy in a production.
“Now, I finally get to direct this funny and moving show,” Ruddell said. “This play does speak to me because of the strong female characters. On the surface, this show appears to be a comedy, but when you start to look at the backgrounds of the characters, you see why the play is called ‘Steel Magnolias.’”
Carmel Community Players will present “Steel Magnolias” Oct. 4-13 at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel. Following the death of his sister from diabetes, Robert Harling wrote a short story and then adapted it into play in 1987. It was made into a 1989 movie focusing on the bond between six women in Louisiana.
The story takes place in Truvy’s beauty salon.
“The cast is made up of six women,” Ruddell said. “There are two young, two middle-aged and two that are older. It has been up to us to find common ground and each actress brings something different to the show, not only her character.”
Noblesville resident Emily Haus, making her CCP debut, plays Shelby, who has Type 1 diabetes and needs a kidney transplant.
“I specifically wanted to play Shelby because I can imagine my daughter growing up to be similar to her,” Haus said. “My daughter is medically fragile and has epilepsy, so this role gave me the chance to relate to and represent that part of her life.”
Haus said a challenge was portraying Shelby’s diva wedding.
“Personally, I’m pretty low-maintenance, not fashionable and very easy to please,” Haus said. “But I understood that for Shelby, this wedding was more than just a wedding — it was a dream of normalcy, a fulfillment of happiness and a huge milestone. She knew what she wanted. I approached it from that perspective — she wanted it to be perfect, and why not? Don’t we all?”
Tanya Haas plays M’Lynn, Shelby’s mother.
“I relate to M’Lynn as a mother who loves her children and just wants what is best for them and is frustrated when they don’t always listen to her advice,” Haas said. “She knows in her heart that since they are adults, they have to make those decisions for themselves, good or bad, but it’s still difficult to step back and watch that happen. My own six children are all adults now, and I experience this in my own life quite often.”
The opening scene takes place on the morning of Shelby’s wedding. Haas’ own daughter got married last month, so she said she knows that feeling.
“M’Lynn is a challenging role to play because she has to face the greatest of joys and the depths of despair all in one show,” Haas said.
Haas said she loves performing in an all-female production.
“I think we have been able to share a lot of our personal stories, especially about being wives and mothers, that men just wouldn’t relate to, or we wouldn’t be comfortable sharing,” Haas said. “All of us have had our joys and struggles and we’ve learned from one another and supported each other on this very emotional journey of a show.”
Susan Smith, who plays Clairee, has seen “Steel Magnolias” several times on stage and recently rewatched the movie. She enjoys the play more than the movie.
“The play is very well-written and focuses purely on the relationships between the women in the salon,” Smith said. “It never leaves the salon and so the other characters in their lives are described through their stories. In the film, they simply show the stories as various scenes in their homes and ultimately at Shelby’s funeral. It’s entertaining, but I prefer listening to their tales and seeing the reactions of the main characters.”
Smith said Clairee has a lot of depth.
“Her husband of nearly 50 years has died recently and she is struggling to navigate life as a widow,” Smith said. “She uses humor as her way to survive and thus she has some of the best lines in the show. I can relate to Clairee. Like her, I’ve been married for a long time (43 years). I love football. I have a wicked sense of humor and like to laugh, and I have a wonderful group of women friends who gather frequently and support each other. They’ll all be coming to see the show to cheer me on.”
For more, visit carmelplayers.org.
