Steel Magnolias at BCP

[perfectliar]

Posted: 6/3/16 at 12:15pm

Has anyone made the trek out to New Hope to see Steel Magnolias at the Bucks County Playhouse? Or does anyone plan to? Since the new management took over, what I've seen of their shows has been great, and this cast is their most-recognizable yet. Curious to know how Marsha Mason fared as a director.

 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Clea-Alsip-Lucy-DeVito-Elaine-Hendrix-Join-Bucks-County-Playhouses-STEEL-MAGNOLIAS-Full-Cast-Announced-20160526

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 6/4/16 at 3:00am

Wow! That is quite a cast they have lined up. 

[Patash]

Posted: 6/8/16 at 12:42pm

This is the first year I chose not to renew my membership at BCP since their reopening several years ago.  One reason was the season including Steel Magnolias (please, God, NOT again).  I've seen it so many times since first seeing the original off Broadway production.   But I was hearing such good raves, last night I went.  I was surprised to see it packed on a Tuesday night, and the production was sensational.  Patricia Richardson as M'Lynn was simply wonderful (that monologue has never been better) and the whole cast impressed.  Lucy Devito (Danny and Rhea's daughter) was wonderful as Annelle, even though she's about 10 years older than the usual.   And Jessica Walter's interpretation of Oiser was quite different -- more solicalite and nose-in-the-air aloof than merely a curmudgeon.  It really worked.    But the real star was director Marsha Mason who instilled wonderful new life into this chestnut.   The blocking with characters primarily speaking and reacting to each other in the mirror (the entire fourth wall) was inspired and never became corny or cliche.   The beginning of M'Lynn's monologue with her speaking into the mirror while closely surrounded by all the others looking at her in that mirror seemed to create a safe "barrier" between them so they could all open up their true emotions. 

BCP really redeemed themselves to me with this one after a few "clunkers" in the past couple of seasons.