Carrollwood Players Theatre to Present STEEL MAGNOLIAS Staged Reading, 9/4-6

Carrollwood Players Theatre will present a staged reading of the popular southern-fried play, STEEL MAGNOLIAS, on Friday and Saturday, September 4th and 5th at 8 pm and Sunday, September 6th at 3 pm in the CWP Black Box Performance Space at Carrollwood Players, 4333 Gunn Highway, Tampa, FL, 33618.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS 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.

This staged reading of STEEL MAGNOLIAS features a set, costumes, props, and sound, and part of the fun is that the actresses will perform the play with scripts in hand after only 5 rehearsals. The play is directed by Dee Ford and stars Georgia Kosloski, Petra Sussman, Bonnie Eaton, Denise Deneen, Rebecca Ginsberg, and Lauri Burgess.

This is the perfect show for a girls' night out, or for anyone who wants to enjoy a modern theatre classic that is both hilarious and touching. Tickets are only $10 and can be purchased fee-free in advance at http://carrollwood-players-theatre.ticketleap.com/steel-magnolias/ or at the door if available. For more information, visit http://www.carrollwoodplayers.org.