Opening May 4th

Steel Magnolias

By Robert Harling

Directed by John Kelsey

A first play which met with immediate critical and popular acceptance in its premier production by New York's WPA Theatre. Concerned with a group of gossipy southern ladies in a small-town beauty parlor, the play is alternately hilarious and touching—and, in the end, deeply revealing of the strength and purposefulness which underlies the antic banter of its characters. "Harling has given his women sharp, funny dialogue…The play builds to a conclusion that is deeply moving." —NY Daily News. "…a skillfully crafted, lovingly evoked picture of eccentricity in the small-town South…Robert Harling is a new voice in the theatre and the qualities of STEEL MAGNOLIAS suggest he may be an important one." —Drama-Logue. "…suffused with humor and tinged with tragedy." —NY Post.

Read the reveiw from the Lebanon Daily News

Show Dates

May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 & 13, 2006 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday Matinees: May 7 & 14, 2006 at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets

$10

The Cast

Christine Anderton  (Clairee) is excited to be back at LCT for the second time.  Last summer she played the part of Miss Weston in the musical Damn Yankees.  The whole experience has her “hooked”.  She feels that the opportunity to work with such talented people provides the chance of a lifetime.  She would like to thank Mary Lou and John Kelsey for giving her the role of Clairee, their guidance has been invaluable!  Christine is a first grade teacher for the Elizabethtown School District.  She is convinced that she practices her talents for the students in her classroom each day.  Keeping the attention of 24 six year olds requires a lot of creative acting abilities!  She would like to dedicate her part in this wonderful play to her daughter, Jennifer.  Jennifer was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of four.  Since then Christine has watched her grow into a beautiful, caring young girl of 15.   She has a bright future and she doesn’t let anything stop her from attaining her goals.  Christine thanks her family and friends who always support her.

Trish Baillie (Annelle) – Trish is no stranger to the LCT stage.  Her first role was as the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods.  She followed that role with other roles including Marian Paroo in The Music Man, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, and Vibrata in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum which she also choreographed.  Trish graduated from Point Park University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance.  She has toured with Whitaker on Wheels and currently is the Assistant Supervisor for the Entertainment Department at Hershey’s Chocolate World.  She is active in regional theatre having most recently performed with Open Stage of Harrisburg’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank where she played Miep Gies.  Trish has also performed with Open Stage as Belle in A Christmas Carol  and Polly Peachum in The Threepenny Opera.  Trish is the choreographer for Camp Hill High School and received acclaim for her choreography of “Steam Heat” in The Pajama Game this year.  Trish dances and teaches with The Wevodau Dance Center and is a member of the competing company there, the Encore Dance Company.  Finally, Trish is a Lead Teacher with Harrisburg Area Community College’s Theatre for Young People program.  Trish is very happy to be working with John, Mary Lou, and this amazing cast!

Lauren Keil (Shelby) is thrilled to once again be on the stage at Lebanon Community Theatre. Her first performance with LCT was during the One Act Plays in August of 2004 when she also played a southern belle named Shelby. Lauren graduated in December from Kutztown University with a B.S. in Speech Language Pathology. In addition to her academic work, Lauren was co-president of NSSLHA, played the viola in the University Orchestra, and performed in many theatrical productions with the Sunshine Players. Some of her favorite roles include Minnie Fay in Hello Dolly, Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof, Betty in The Threepenny Opera, and the title role in Cinderella.

Jill Marhevka (M’Lynn) is a New Jersey native and is no stranger to the stage and screen. She began dancing at age 12 and by high school she had already performed in the Vineland Regional Dance Company’s The Nutcracker.  Two high school musicals, South Pacific and the Music Man followed close behind which sparked a new interest for Jill.  After winning college scholarships by dancing in the Miss America Pageant program, Jill went to Rowan University and obtained her BA in Communications: Radio/TV/Film. Her creative talents behind the scenes landed her television producing jobs at WMGM (NBC) in Atlantic City, KFVS12 (CBS) in Missouri, our own local WGAL8  (NBC) in Lancaster, and most recently WUSA9 (CBS) in Washington, DC. Not only has Jill directed local television commercials, she has acted in them as well.  Some of her favorite career highlights were meeting stars like Vanna White, Merv Griffin, Joan Rivers, Conan O’Brien, Kelsey Grammar, Jay Leno, and Oprah Winfrey. Jill continues to dance and performed at the Whitaker Center last Christmas. Recently married, Jill spends her spare time antiquing with hubbie, Andrew.

Wylla Marie Nolan (Truvy)  is thrilled to be back on stage at LCT.   This is Wylla’s first major role and would like to dedicate her performances to her father Eldon “Reb” Morey who was the “push” she needed to get involved with the theatre. She played opposite him in Flowers for Algernon on stage at LCT; which was his last performance before his death. She has also had smaller roles in The Miracle Worker and Anatomy of a Murder. Wylla can relate to her character Truvy, as she has been a hairdresser for 18 years, as can relate to Shelby’s character as she has been a diabetic for 22 years. Wylla currently bartends at Heisey’s Diner and is a foster parent in the Lebanon County area. Wylla would like to thank her husband, Khris and her kids for their ongoing support in this play. Wylla would also like to thank John and Mary Lou for giving her this opportunity to be on stage once again! And here is to the rest of the great women in this play-it is a pleasure being on stage with all of you!

D.J. Reeves (Ouiser) A native Missourian transplanted to Pennsylvania Dutch country in 1993, D.J. Reeves got lost one day in Lebanon and stumbled across the Community Theatre.  Learning there was a performance that night—and better yet, an audition the next day—D.J. came back to join the cast of Best Little Whorehouse in Texas for her very first LCT show and her first production with Mary Lou and John Kelsey.  Since that long-ago lucky detour, D.J. has been finding her way back to LCT over and over again.  Since then she’s been seen on stage in shows including Taming of the Shrew, Rumors, Cash on Delivery, Exact Center of the Universe, Into the Woods, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Music Man, Book of Days, and Incorruptible.  D.J. feels that the role of Ouiser in Steel Magnolias is one in a million, and she’d like to thank director John Kelsey for another challenging LCT opportunity.  She’d also like to thank her dog Atticus (a Rhett-wannabe) who inspires her caring . . . the two ex-husbands who inspire her Ouiser-like feistiness . . . and the “Steely Magnolia” friends who inspire the courage and humor she needs to bring it all together on stage and off.

Staff

John Kelsey (Director) previously directed A Few Good Men, Heaven Can Wait, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Anatomy of a Murder, What I Did Last Summer and Dinner With Friends.  He has acted in a number of LCT shows, Our Town (‘89), Cuckoo’s Nest, Bleacher Bums, Sylvia, Memory of Water, Book of Days, Our Town (‘05) and Plaza Suite.  He has also served as set builder and stage manager for many more shows.  He is currently serving as Chairman of LCT.  In real life, he is a criminal defense lawyer.  He thanks Mary Lou for teaching him just about everything he knows about the theater.

Mary Lou Kelsey (Assistant Director) has directed fifteen plays and musicals at LCT, including Whorehouse, Pippin, Chorus Line, Noises Off, Little Shop of Horrors, Memory of Water, The Miracle Worker, Little Women and Moon Over the Brewery.  She has AD’d for many more and has taught and helped many new and even experienced directors on our stage.  She serves on LCT’s Artistic Board and is responsible for much of the day to day functioning of the theatre.  In real life, she pens a weekly humor column for the Lebanon Daily News.

Adele Tavela (Costumes)

Kristin Lantzy (Hairdressing)

Joyce Rheinheimer (Lights and Sound)

Lisa Kalbaugh (Props and Stage Manager)

Patty Osterhout (Production Assistant)

Evelyn Colon (Program)

Wylla Nolan (Hairdressing)

For reservations call the box office at (717) 273-5151