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Rapid Fire 20 Q: Conversations from The Emerald City as The Larry Keeton Theatre celebrates Opening Weekend of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ directed by Jef Ellis

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When you consider the fact that L. Frank Baum’s beloved The Wizard of Oz was originally released in book form in 1900 and the equally-iconic MGM musical movie adaptation itself is celebrating it’s 80th anniversary this year, it’s really no surprise that all things Oz continue to be just as mesmerizing all these years later. Proof that the story of young dreamer Dorothy Gale’s first visit to the enchanted Land of Oz is still an audience favorite is evident in the fact that The Larry Keeton Theatre opened their production of the stage adaptation earlier this week with shows continuing at the popular Nashville area dinner theatre, with performances continuing through June 29.

To celebrate Opening Weekend, I recently had an opportunity to chat with the show’s director, Jef Ellis as well as four members of his cast including Emma Brown, who plays Dorothy, J. Robert Lindsey, who’s cast as The Tin Man, The Cowardly Lion’s Sara Kistner and Thomas Gentry, who’ll be performing the role of The Scarecrow for an All-In, All-Oz Rapid Fire 20 Q.

Sara Kistner, J. Robert Lindsey, Thomas Gentry and Emma Brown in The Keeton Theatre’s “The Wizard of Oz”

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RAPID FIRE 20 Q WITH DIRECTOR & CAST OF THE LARRY KEETON THEATRE’S THE WIZARD OF OZ

RAPID FIRE WITH THE WIZARD OF OZ DIRECTOR, JEF ELLIS

JHP: What’s your first memory of The Wizard of Oz?

JEF ELLIS: I grew up as part of a generation who watched the movie on TV once a year and my earliest memory is being scared to death of those flying monkeys. In fact, we’d have to switch off the TV every time they made an appearance. I don’t think I ever saw the entire film until I was well into adulthood and could manage my flying monkey phobia with grace.

JHP: Having interviewed you in the past, I’ve noted that whenever you direct a piece that’s as beloved for its cinematic adaptation as it is its stage version, you always manage to pay homage to the Hollywood incarnation. Can you reveal, or at least tease, how you’ve achieved this with this production of Oz?

JEF ELLIS: The script is very much like the screenplay, down to the stage directions. But because I love classic films of this particular era, I have chosen to honor the golden age of Hollywood — specifically 1939 — with some of the expected tropes of moviemaking of that time and when I’ve talked about it with my cast members, I’ve often used references to the stars of that era and we’ve attempted to give the Kansas scenes a sense of classic black-and-white filmmaking and acting for the camera. It is subtle, but it’s there and it helps inspire my talented cast.

JHP: What aspect of this production has brought you the most joy as a director?

JEF ELLIS: Believe it or not, it’s working with young actors, particularly the very young actors who play a variety of roles from Munchkins to Ozians to the Wicked Witch of the West’s flying monkeys. Introducing this beloved film to a new generation is both an awesome and daunting experience. When we first started, I felt rather at sea insofar as what I was striving to do with this particular show, but one day during rehearsal, I restaged the Act One finale (the approach to the Emerald City after the experience in the field of poppies) and it suddenly dawned on me what the show is actually about and how impactful it can be on audiences, whether they are veterans like me of seeing the movie annually for years and years or if they are only just now being exposed to it.

JHP: Why does The Wizard of Oz endure?

JEF ELLIS: To my way of thinking, it’s a uniquely American fairy tale — the story of one young girl’s search for who she really is and what is most important to a life well-lived, told in a distinctly American way. I think far too often The Wizard of Oz becomes the focus of academics who try to foist their own meaning upon the story — and lord knows, I love that kind of stuff — but when I read more about L. Frank Baum and what he was trying to do, it opened up vast new vistas for me as far as storytelling is concerned. To me, the best thing about live theater is its ability to transport and to transform and there is perhaps no show I’ve directed in my career that better subscribes to that belief. The Wizard of Oz is the quintessential American fairy tale that instantly whisks audiences away to a vividly imagine world quite unlike any you might imagine on your own. Because of that, the story is timeless and we can all find something about it with which we might identify.

RAPID FIRE WITH EMMA BROWN, DOROTHY GALE IN THE WIZARD OF OZ 

JHP: Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz is easily one of the most beloved stories ever. What’s it like to be cast as Dorothy Gale?

EMMA BROWN: If you play an iconic character, comparisons to the original are inevitable. That kind of pressure is an exciting challenge because it’s all about bringing some of the magic from the classic to the stage. A little magic and a lot of dog treats.

JHP: Arguably, the 1939 film adaptation is just as popular, if not more so, than the classic novel. Were you a fan of either incarnation before auditioning for this production?

EMMA BROWN: We had The Wizard of Oz movie on VHS when I was little, and I used to rewind the scenes and act them out alongside the TV. One of my favorites was throwing myself off our couches to reenact when Judy Garland falls into the pig pen. Unfortunately, the stage version does not have that scene, because I would have been thoroughly prepared.

JHP: While researching to chat with you and your fellow Ozians, I ran across a recent Oz-related post on your social media in regards to your recent birthday. Care to share what your parents did to celebrate your birthday and you being cast as Dorothy?

EMMA BROWN: My mom labeled yellow napkins with letters that said, “Follow the Yellow Brick Road,” and she put them on the floor leading to the kitchen, where my Dad hung a Wizard of Oz poster that he drew himself. It had the Lion, Scarecrow, Dorothy, Tin Man, the Emerald City, apple trees, rainbows, it was incredible. The thoughtfulness of those two almost made up for the fact that Dad used up all my markers.

JHP: Somewhere Over the Rainbow is simply iconic. Do you have a favorite phrase amongst the lyrics that kind of gets you every time you sing it?

EMMA BROWN: “…And the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true…” I love that lyric for two reasons: it speaks to anyone with passion, ambition, and hope, and it’s the only place in the song where I get to breathe.

RAPID FIRE WITH THOMAS GENTRY, THE SCARECROW IN THE WIZARD OF OZ

JHP: Which of The Scarecrow’s characteristics do you share—or would you love to adopt?

THOMAS GENTRY: Oh man, The Scarecrow and I have more in common than I ever realized. Perhaps the most obvious might be my general absent-mindedness (yeah yeah, pun-intended). Ask anyone who’s ever tried to leave the house with me; I can NEVER find my keys, wallet, phone, etc. Also, like the Scarecrow, I’m an external processor so I often put my foot in my mouth by spewing unfiltered babble or asking questions with obvious answers. I will say however, that I admire the Scarecrow’s unwavering and selfless love and support of Dorothy. To me that’s a very endearing characteristic of the Scarecrow and something that I’d like to demonstrate in any friendship.

JHP: Alright, I just gotta say…with your hair, did you initially audition for The Cowardly Lion? Because your mane is epic! But on to my real question….The Scarecrow is surprisingly a very physically demanding role. Do you have a dance background?

THOMAS GENTRY: Haha, ya know, I didn’t. But it’s been brought to my attention that I perhaps should have. Maybe I’ll lop it off for Sara, our Lion, to make a wig out of. Anyway, you are not lying about the Scarecrow being a physically demanding role. After being cast, I began watching so many different performances where the Scarecrow was doing full splits and jazz pirouettes. I thought, “uh oh.” But I do have a background of basic ballroom dancing and a shameless enthusiasm to brave any dance-based aerobics class no matter how outnumbered I am by middle-aged moms. Throw that in with a history of various board sports that have taught me how to roll and fall and I’d say I’ve attempted to adapt the part to the floppiest, most energetic version of my skill-set. Knee pads help a lot too.

JHP: One of my absolute favorite Scarecrow lines is, “Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don’t you think?” Given today’s social and political climate, do you expect to get big reactions from that line?

THOMAS GENTRY: I know, right? When I first read the script I thought “Oh my gosh, how did they know?” It just seemed perfectly timed. A little more research led me to the fact that the L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was always intended to be somewhat of a political allegory. Much of the allegorical structure remained in tact in the beloved 1939 film which popularized the line in question. The genius of this line is that it will always be relevant no matter who’s doing a lot of talking or who’s in power at any given time. That said, I, like every person who has heard this line since 1939, do think it seems most applicable considering today’s social and political climate and I certainly hope for big reactions from that line.

JHP: While this interpretation of The Wizard of Oz follows the 1939 film adaptation very closely, one sequence that was cut from the film, The Jitterbug, was added back to this stage version when it was first produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company In 1987. What can you tell me about this number and the show’s choreography as a whole?

THOMAS GENTRY: Initially, it seemed that much of the cast had a love/hate relationship with this number. Ya know, no one’s really heard it, it’s not exactly a crowd favorite upon first listen, and it’s certainly not the 80’s Wham hit that I first think of when I hear Jitterbug. That said, it’s one of only two instances where the leads get to sing and dance with the entire ensemble, so The Jitterbug is actually key during the second act to give the audience a little something spicy and fun featuring almost the entire cast. And ya know what? It’s actually become a pretty cool number. Our choreographer, Kevin Raymond, has really turned it in to something nice. He’s done a great job of adapting the film’s choreography to the stage, while still maintaining the look and feel of the film’s original dance numbers that the audience expects to see.

RAPID FIRE WITH SARA KISTNER, THE COWARDLY LION IN THE WIZARD OF OZ 

JHP: The Cowardly Lion is typically played by a male, so…are you playing the role as a gender-flip? non-binary? or in male drag?

SARA KISTNER: The best way to describe the way I am playing the Cowardly Lion is a mix of gender flipping and non-binary factors. I know it is difficult to technically do both, but we changed words like him to her and king to queen, but I am trying to remain true to the Cowardly Lion as everyone knows “him”. I play the Lion with a deeper voice but Queen of The Forest may catch you by surprise. I am using that gender battle of Men are tough and Women are gentle and trying to place myself amongst the other characters to really play up each of the Lion’s hurdles with courage.

JHP: When playwright John Kane and the Royal Shakespeare Company revisited the story of Oz for this iteration’s debut in 1987, the costumes were based on a combination of both the original illustrations by William Wallace Denslow from the 1900 1st edition of Baum’s book and Adrian Adolph Greenberg’s legendary costumes designed for the 1939 film adaptation. Who designed the costumes for The Keeton’s production and what’s your favorite aspect of them?

SARA KISTNER: Our costume designer Cary Street, is recreating Glinda, Dorothy, Tinman, Scarecrow, and Lion as we all remember them whether it is the film or the stage adaptation, while taking our ensemble and giving them some flare and originality. My favorite aspect of our costumes would have to be the color scheme for our ensemble members, everyone pops in their own way on stage!

JHP: Earlier this year you worked with Jef as a member of his cast of Singin in the Rain and now in Oz. While composing questions to ask you and your fellow Yellow Brick Roadies, it dawned on me, Jef is a bit like the Wizard isn’t he? I’m curious…in the spirit of Oz, what’s something surprising you’ve learned about Jef…behind the magic curtain?

SARA KISTNER: Jef is in fact a lot like Oz, he goes wherever the wind takes his balloon. We all know Oz as this big scary spectacle of a being that no one really knows much about other than the obvious, I believe that is true for Jef as well, to a degree. The way Jef directs is very much straight to the point, and we as his cast are to follow his instructions in order to reap our rewards. The difference between Jef and Oz is, Oz is pretending to be something he is not, Jef remains true to himself and his demands are for the best of the production he is working on at the time. Once the cast has completed their tasks and we begin the run of our show, that is when Jef comes out behind the curtain we receive our motivational speech and the wind takes him on to his next adventure.

JHP: The Cowardly Lion seeks courage. What does courage mean to you?

SARA KISTNER: I believe Courage is not defined by one specific thing. Courage can be as simple as facing the day when all you feel is dread, it is going out and walking with the masses whether you are a feminist, a member of LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, or even serving the United States Military. You never know what each day may bring you, but facing each day with everything you have in your soul not knowing what may be waiting for you, that is true courage.

RAPID FIRE WITH J. ROBERT LINDSEY, THE TIN MAN IN THE WIZARD OF OZ

JHP: Prior to being cast as The Tin Man, how familiar with this particular adaptation, which debuted on stage in 1987, and more closely follows the classic film than other stagings?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: I had the opportunity to play The Tin Man (and his farmhand counterpart, Hickory) in college.  We did this adaptation as well, so I was pretty familiar with this particular version.  As a child, I was obsessed with the movie, so having the chance to play this role in a version that so closely follows the film not only once — but twice — has been such an honor.

JHP: This mounting of The Wizard of Oz marks how many times you’ve worked under the direction of Jef? What keeps you coming back to audition when he’s at the helm?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: Wizard is the fourth time I have worked under Jef’s direction.  I first met Jef when I played Cliff Bradshaw in his production of Cabaret followed by My Fair Lady (as Freddy Eynsford-Hill) and The Boys in the Band (as Larry). What I love about Jef as a director is that he comes into the rehearsal process with a very clear vision. As an actor, it’s great working with a director who knows exactly what he wants out of you. Jef also does a wonderful job of recreating classic films on stage. In this particular show, he pays homage to the 1939 film as well as the original novel while simultaneously adding some twists and turns along that way that audiences have never seen before.

JHP: Among the lyrics of The Tin Man’s famed If I Only Had a Heart is the line, “Just to register emotion, jealousy, devotion and really feel the part”. At what point during the rehearsal process did you ‘really feel the part’ as far as finding YOUR The Tin Man?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: Having played this role before, I didn’t want to cop out and recreate the same exact performance. The stage version dives into some of The Tin Man’s backstory. For The Tin Man, a heart represents the life he knew before the Wicked Witch enchanted his axe and subsequently turned him into tin. During one of our rehearsals, we were running the scene where the Tin Man shares his story with Dorothy and the Scarecrow. As the words were coming out of my mouth,  I really thought about how heartbreaking (no pun intended) his story is and how that fuels this journey he goes on. For me, that’s when this incarnation of the Tin Man started to evolve.

JHP: Among the many themes of Oz, Family is key, whether it’s the family we’re born into or the family we choose. I hear actors say over and over that their casts become family. Why do you suppose that is?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: So many of the stories we tell in theatre are centered around relationships. As the cast dives into creating their own characters and developing the relationships they have with the other characters in the show, it’s hard to completely separate yourself as an actor. It’s an emotional journey and requires a lot of energy, and the only people who can relate are the ones in the show alongside you. It truly fosters a sense of family – which is one of my favorite aspects of theatre.

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The Wizard of Oz at The Larry Keeton Theatre continues with shows thru Saturday, June 29. Thursday-Saturday shows begin at 7p.m. with Sunday matinee curtain at 2p.m. Dinner and Show tickets are available for $30 for Adults and $20 for Children 12 and Under. Show Only Tickets are available for $25 for Adults or $15 for Children 12 and Under. Unlike Dorothy, you don’t need a flying house, a bubble-hopping good witch, a hot air balloon or even ruby slippers to visit, but you do need to CLICK (just one time)….CLICK HERE for tickets.

To keep up with the latest from The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

If you’ve enjoyed this installment of my recurring interview feature,be sure and check out previous conversations at Rapid Fire 20 Q. Interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor? Click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.

Theatre Review: Directed by Suzanne Spooner-Faulk, Keeton Theatre’s ’Spelling Bee’ charmingly entertaining…C-H-A-R-M-I-N-G-L-Y; on stage thru October 27

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The cast of The Keeton Theatre’s “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (all photos by Jenny Petit Steiner/courtesy The Larry Keeton Theatre)

Technically, The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee, currently onstage at The Larry Keeton Theatre through October 27, isn’t Suzanne Spooner-Faulk’s debut as a director, I say technically because she co-directed the company’s production of Big River last year. It is, however, her first time to fully helm a show and to no surprise to anyone who knows her, she does so to a joyful end, presenting a show brimming with charm, humor, heart and just enough silliness to make watching a show in which adults play school-age children competing in a Spelling Bee worth watching. Doesn’t hurt matters that The Keeton itself use to be a local school, so the auditorium vibe that still exists in the theatre space perfectly adds to the play’s gymnasium setting.

For her cast, Spooner-Faulk has assembled a fun mix of actors, some of whom are returning to Keeton having previously been seen on stage, and a couple making their Keeton debut…always a welcomed choice to mix it up a bit. While it can be nice to have a company that’s completely familiar, that can sometimes result in a few miscast roles. Luckily for Spelling Bee audiences, that is not the case here, as each and every actor involved manages to find their individual character’s quirks and run with them.

Cast as the quirky spellers are Chelsea Pearce, Jason Scott, Miranda Vaqué, Toby Turner, Sydney Rogers, and Jonathan Hunter. Playing the equally quirky adult roles are David Shaw, Drew Dunlop and Jena Salb.

Once the show begins, Salb’s Rona Lisa Peretti takes to the Putnam County gymnasium to moderate the Bee. My Favorite Moment of the Bee features Salb’s Rona Lisa as she reminisces her own championship win some years back. As Rona Lisa, Salb is as perky and excited to be par too the Bee legacy as she is sweet when, during various circumstances in the show, the kids need a little bit of adult support and understanding. Having never seen Salb on stage myself, I am happy to proclaim she’s now among my ever-growing list of theatre crushes.

Joining Salb’s Rona Lisa as the Bee’s sole judge/word pronouncer is Drew Dunlop as Vice Principal Douglas Panch. Dunlop is at his best when he’s interacting with additional Bee contestants pulled from the show’s actual audience. (More about that later)

The third and final adult role comes in the form of David Shaw as Mitch Mahoney, the Bee’s comfort counselor. That’s right, it’s Mahoney’s job to send the losers off with a hug and a juice box. Shaw’s Mitch is delightful. Like several of his castmates, Shaw also appears in an additional role, playing one of two gay dads to one of the kids. You gotta love the stereotypical flamboyance of his gay dad portrayal as well as the equally expected thug look of his portrayal of Mitch, both as wrong and un-PC, funny is funny and Shaw is funny.

Chelsea Pearce, as Logainne (center) flanked by her two dads, Jonathan Hunter and David Shaw (far left and far right) in a scene from Keeton’s Theatre’s “Spelling Bee”.

Then there’s the kids. Pearce, as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, the youngest contestant in the Bee, who just so happens to have two gay dads, is hilarious. Her affected way of speaking—as if she were wearing braces—and her spot-on comedic timing are the perfect combination. Proving just how quick on her feet she is on and off-book, during last weekend’s Sunday matinee when a plane seemed to be about to land on the rooftop of The Keeton Theatre, without missing a beat—and totally in character as Logainne, Pearce cracked wise that her current spelling word “made as much sense as building a community center so close to an airport”.

Scott, as returning Bee champ, Charlito “Chip” Tolentino gets his own chance to steal the spotlight in one of the show’s more surprising musical numbers, My Unfortunate Erection. Yes, you read that right, Chip, like most teenage boys experiences a sudden urge right there in the middle of the Bee. As one of the elderly ladies seated near me said at the close of his number “Oh, my! It’s like that Justin Timberlake SNL song-skit”.

Sydney Rogers, a newcomer to Keeton, plays Spelling Bee newcomer, Olive Ostrovsky. Of all the characterizations of the spellers, Rogers’ Olive truly tugs at the heartstrings as she’s just as concerned with spelling as she is her father’s absence from the audience. Early in the show, she leads the company in My Friend, the Dictionary, a telling tune that touches home with the outcast in all of us.

To be completely honest, upon first glance, Toby Turner seemed a bit miscast as William Barfeé (it’s pronounced Bar-fay), but once he gets his magic foot in motion, he proves why he was cast, as he turns what could easily be the most annoying character in the show into one of the most endearing.

Vaqué’s Marcy Park is a little Wednesday Addams, a little Buffy Summers (sans the penchant for taking out vampires). The character’s quirkiness comes from a mix of being new to the area, speaking a multitude of languages and being an over-achiever. Vaqué’s lead on I Speak Six Languages is one of the show’s more thoughtful tunes and she delivers it with just the right punch of emotion.

Rounding out the Spelling Bee contestants is Jonathan Hunter as Leaf Coneybear. Described in the playbill as being homeschooled, Hunter’s Leaf is simply my favorite. Wearing a safety helmet, a shimmering gold lame cape and clothes his character bravely admits to designing himself, Hunter’s Leaf reminded me so much of this goofy kid I went to elementary school with, it’s scary. Of course I can’t name names, he’s probably some multimillionaire inventor by now anyway. But back to Hunter, he manages to steal every scene he’s in and his solo on I’m Not That Smart will make you wanna go hug him.

A typically chaotic, yet humorous moment in “Spelling Bee”.

While these nine actors make up the cast, as indicated earlier, several of the characters also play additional minor roles as various members of the Bee contestants’ families. Also mentioned above, during each performance, four members of the audience are called up to the stage and treated as late entries to the Spelling Bee. That’s part of the charm of the show. No two shows are ever the same, in part because you just never know how the audience pulls are going to interact with the actual cast. Luckily for me and the audience during the show I attended, a couple of the audience pulls were more than ready for their fifteen minutes of fame. Don’t worry though, unlike some productions I’ve seen, the audience pulls do so willingly as they’re asked just prior to curtain if they’d be wiling to participate.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee continues its run at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre (108 Donelson Pike) with evening performances Thursday, October 18 thru Saturday, October 27 with dinner service at 6 p.m. and show  beginning at 7 p.m. Dinner and Show tickets are $30 for Adults, $20 for Children 12 and under OR Show Only tickets for $25 for Adults or $15 for Children 12 and Under. Call 615.883.8375 for tickets and availability.

Next up at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre is A Christmas Carol: The Musical with shows from November 29-December 16. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information.

To keep up with the latest from The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor? Click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.

Review: Keeton Theatre proves local audiences will never get enough of ‘Steel Magnolias’

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The cast of The Larry Keeton Theatre’s “Steel Magnolias” onstage thru Saturday, September 1. (photo by Jenny Steiner/courtesy The Keeton Theatre)

Steel Magnolias, Robert Harling’s sentimental stage play about six women who share life’s ups and downs during weekly visits to their local Louisiana beauty shop, has been an audience favorite since it’s debut in 1987. The subsequent 1989 film adaptation starring Dolly Parton and company only served to solidify the piece as a bonafide part of southern pop culture, so It should come as no surprised that nearly every theatrical season includes at least one theatre company in the Nashville area mounting a production of the stalwart southern favorite. This year, than honor/burden is in the hands of Donna Driver as she directs The Larry Keeton Theatre’s current production, continuing its three-week run with performances thru Saturday, September 1.

Appropriately, I chose to attend a Sunday matinee performance of The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre’s Steel Magnolias. I literally came directly from church. As my friend and I arrived, we sat at a table of ladies, only adding to the magnolia mystique. Befitting any church social or as we call it, dinner on the ground, the delicious pre-show meal consisted of potato salad, mixed veggies, a healthy portion of sliced ham and a dinner roll. Pickup up on the much-lauded color scheme of Shelby Eatenton’s wedding, there was even a creamy jello-based delicious pink dessert, I’m just not sure if the dessert color was blush of bashful. If you’re familiar with Steel Magnolias—and why wouldn’t you be?—you’ll get the reference.

For this visit to Truvy’s Beauty Spot in the fictional town of Chinquepin Parish, Louisiana, director Donna Driver and her creative team offer a wonderfully detailed setting. While enjoying the meal, I had ample time to check out the set. Many previous incarnations of Steel Magnolias that I’ve attended have chosen to line three or four beauty stations side by side facing the audience, while this allows the actors to look towards the audience as they deliver their lines, it also basically ignores the rest of the space and stagnates the action to front and center. Luckily, Driver and company smartly utilize the entire stage, and in doing so, create a totally believable version of Truvy’s Beauty Spot. Instead of a row of beauty chairs, two beauty stations face each other center stage with a lighted, framed invisible mirror between them. Congratulations to Driver and her husband, Kevin Driver, who designed the set, as well as scenic construction team members Jessi Boyer and Randall Seymour for this more realistic placement of the beauty stations. Kudos also to the show’s director for keeping the actresses from looking straight through the non-existent mirror, but rather, leaning or walking around to address their co-stars positioned in the beauty station on the other side of the divider. Continuing the realness of the shop, the entrance to the shop is located in the back left corner of the stage, a wash station back center and an unseen kitchen, back left. The walls, adorned with family photos, an inspirational saying or two and an array of 80s-era decor, including the minute detail of wallpaper boarders running along the top of each wall, reinforces the 80s vibe. Also of note, design-wise, is the inclusion of a sprig of magnolia blossoms atop the shop’s waiting area. Not only a staple of design for the day, a nice wink to the show’s title. I had almost forgotten my own mom’s similar wall decor, which may or may not still be hanging in her living room (Note to self to notice next time I’m home for a visit).

On the subject of attention to detail, property mistress Melanie Ray and costumer Amy Slade deserve special mention for perfectly capturing the look and feel of the now-iconic late-80s. You gotta love the fact that following a casual reference to Cher, one of the ladies is seen thumbing through what appears to be a period-authentic copy of McCalls magazine with the Moonstruck star on the cover. Another nice atmospheric detail comes when the boom box plays Manic Monday and a few other late-80s tunes.

For the Keeton’s Steel Magnolias, director Diver has enlisted the talents of a great mix of actresses familiar to Keeton and Nashville’s theatrical community alongside a few Keeton newcomers.

Making her Keeton debut as Truvy (the Dolly Parton role for the unfortunately uninformed) is Kristian Dambrino. A former pageant girl herself, Dambrino looks and dresses more like the love-child of a younger, prettier Married with Children’s Peggy Bundy and Full House’s Kimmy Gibbler than the iconic portrayal Dolly gave the role of Truvy in the film, and that’s not exactly a bad thing. Dambrino brings the sass and sex appeal to the role that’s expected. What’s more, she does so without simply mimicking Dolly’s version of the character. Perhaps because of her own pageant history, Dambrino also seems to actually be able to ‘do’ hair, as she is seen taking down rollers, back-coming and creating a believable up-do all the while extolling words of wisdom and wise-crack as called-for in the show’s dialogue. Kudos also to Dambrino’s Truvy for being one of only a couple of the ladies to truly embrace the southern adage of “the bigger the hair, the closer to God”. After all, Steel Magnolias is, and always should be, a hair-raising dramedy.

Also making her Keeton debut is Meredith Daniel as Annelle Dupuy, Truvy’s quirkily shy new assistant. I’ll just say it…Daniel gives one of the most engaging and entertaining performances of the show. As written, the character undergoes the most changes throughout the show and Daniel embraces those transformations to the fullest. Even when she’s not the focus of the action, thanks to direction from Driver and what I can only assume is the actress’ own innate sense of being present in the action of the piece, Daniel turns in the most complete and thoroughly spellbinding performance of the show. From clutching her cross necklace or franticly flipping through her Bible for words of inspiration and solace during risqué conversation, to timidly attempting to hand a glass of water to an irritated Ouiser, I couldn’t take my eyes off Daniel’s Annelle.

Cast as Shelby Eatenton is Brianne Waters. Quite often Shelby is played with a penchant for over-exaggeration. I personally blame Julia Roberts’ gigantic mouth for that, as the image of her diabetic freak-out in the movie version is forever emblazoned in my mind. Refreshingly, Waters plays Shelby a little closer to the vest. When it comes time for the famed “drink your juice, Shelby” scene, her diabetic episode is played much more internally, only adding to the drama. The kindness Waters’ Shelby shows Daniel’s Annelle and the more serious tone of the scene with Shelby’s mother, nicely showcase Waters’ talents.

Speaking of Shelby’s mother, Kate Adams is fantastic as M’Lynn Eatenton. While her character’s hair/wig never quite achieves brown football helmet status, Adams embraces M’Lynn’s steel magnolia status to the fullest. In a classic scene, when M’Lynn and Shelby discuss Shelby’s medically ill-advised pregnancy, Adams exemplifies the unwavering emotion and immeasurable concern anyone who has a mother…or is a mother…can surely identity with. During the aforementioned “drink your juice, Shelby” scene, Adams’ M’Lynn is composed and in control. On a personal note, having had my share of medical issues as a child, and being blessed with an equally composed mom, this scene always makes my eyes sweat. Thanks to Adams’ nurturing but firm portrayal, this time was no exception.

Yet another quotable Steel Magnolia line “Here, hit Ouiser” comes late in the show when M’Lynn is dealing with the greatest loss any mother can endure. That line is delivered by Clairee Belcher, and is aimed towards Ouiser Boudreaux. The show’s odd couple, if you will, Clairee is the town’s former first lady, who just so happens to be best friends with Ouiser, the town’s grumpy old lady.

While Shirley MacLaine’s Ouiser is one of my favorite movie characters ever, it often seems lazy and uninspired for an actress to try to mimic her characterization for the stage. Thankfully, Deb Moore’s Ouiser doesn’t even try to duplicate MacLaine’s interpretation, instead offering a more realistic version. If you’re from the south,s surely you know more than one bitter old lady who’d rather hang with their dog than expose her true kindly nature. That, my friends is Moore’s Ouiser. One thing I love about her portrayal is that Moore’s Ouiser is unapologetically ill-tempted. Instead of simply being a bit of comic relief in her absurdity, as the character proudly boasts, “I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a very bad mood for the past forty years”. I’ve never believed that line more and I can definitely relate.

Rounding out the cast is Linda Speir as Clairee, the actress’ fourth time in the role. I interviewed Speir for her second portrayal, and earlier this year, I interviewed and reviewed her third turn as Clairee. During that interview, I made the declaration that she should be cast as Clairee in all local productions going forward, so it was nice to see the Keeton agreed with me. Interestingly, when I interviewed her earlier this year, I asked her if her Clairee changes from production to production. She said it did and that the different casts and direction brought out something different to her portrayal. Having seen her interact with two casts now, and under the direction of Driver, I can absolutely attest to the fact that she spoke the gospel truth. Looking simply regal as Chinquepin Parish’s former first lady, Speir’s Clairee is the glorious personification of the well-bred southern woman. While Harling’s script never calls for Clairee to utter the classic “bless your heart”—you know, the ultimate dagger-shooting backhanded remark—Speir’s Clairee does get the chance to say some of the most outlandish things, but she does so in such a classy, molasses-laden way that should she actually slap Ouiser, Ouiser would likely thank her for it.

While the aforementioned accolades for the actresses’ portrayals are indeed warranted, enough can not be said for the director. Having witnessed more than my share of marginal Steel Magnolias performances over the years…even before the past decade of reviewing shows, I willingly attended productions of the show simply because I adore it…I’ve seen some doozies. Driver’s direction goes beyond duplicating the beloved film version. She returns the nuanced and quirky nature of Harling’s written word and thereby elevates the Keeton’s Steel Magnolias to the treasured status it deserves.

One final note. Between the action of the show’s final two scenes, he choice to include an audio snipped of Dolly Parton’s Eagle When She Flies, specifically the song’s third verse containing the lyrics: “Gentle as the sweet magnolia, strong as steel her faith and pride”, perfectly describes Harling’s beloved work…and Keeton’s faithful and moving presentation of Steel Magnolias.

Steel Magnolias wraps its three-week run at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre (108 Donelson Pike) with evening performances Thursday, August 30 thru Saturday, September 1 with dinner service at 6 p.m. and show  beginning at 7 p.m. Dinner and Show tickets are $30 for Adults, $20 for Children 12 and under OR Show Only tickets for $25 for Adults or $15 for Children 12 and Under. Thursday night’s show is SOLD OUT, as has been the majority of the run. Limited tickets are available for Friday and Saturday night performances. Call 615.883.8375 for tickets and availability.

Next up at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre from Thursday, October 11-Saturday, October 27 is The 25 Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee directed by Suzanne Spooner-Faulk. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information.

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