August 11-13 & 18-20 at the Waldron Auditorium
This August, Off Night Productions (ONP) is thrilled to present the contemporary American classic, “Steel Magnolias” by Robert Harling. As a theatre company dedicated to prioritizing female and non-binary artistic leadership, Off Night is proud to produce this classic play with an all-female cast, and a majority-female and non-binary creative production team. Co-directed by Aubrey Seader and Cassie Hakken, “Steel Magnolias” runs August 11-13 and 18-20 at the John Waldron Arts Center Auditorium (122 S Walnut Street, downtown Bloomington).
“Steel Magnolias” is a hilarious and touching tale of female friendship, set in the small town of Chinquapin, Louisiana during the late 1980s. Within the glittery, glamorous sanctuary of Truvy’s beauty salon, six of the town’s most beloved women trade witty barbs, sage advice, and support one another through a variety of challenges. The story showcases the immense power of female friendship to keep us laughing and inspire us to overcome loneliness, self-doubt, and life’s most devastating tragedies. First produced Off Broadway in 1987 with a subsequent movie adaptation in 1989, “Steel Magnolias” has been capturing hearts for generations.
Off Night Productions is a female-led production company producing contemporary theatre and music on off-nights of the traditional performance week. After a sold-out run of “Proof” by David Auburn in 2023, the company felt that “Steel Magnolias” was a perfect choice. “Steel Magnolias was an obvious choice for our second full production because of its ability to showcase Bloomington’s growing pool of immensely talented local actresses,” says Artistic Director Aubrey Seader. “The show features an all-female cast of six actors, spanning a variety of ages. That’s not something you can say of very many contemporary plays.”
This production features a group of talented local actresses. Starring a M’Lynn is Greta Lind, recently seen in Deathtrap and The Importance of Being Earnest at Constellation Stage & Screen, Off Night Stories: Winter Holidays for Off Night Productions, and the new director's cut of Rudy (1993). Starring as M’Lynn’s daughter Shelby in her Bloomington debut is Mikelle Miller. Joining the cast as lifelong friends Ouiser and Clairee are Claire Mahave, a recent Bloomarang, and Maria Walker, a local singer and actress seen in many productions at Cardinal Stage and Constellation Stage & Screen. Truvy will be played by actress Maggie Lynn Held, also seen previously in productions for Cardinal and Constellation. Lastly, joining Truvy as her faithful assistant Annelle is Jillian Hurley, a recent IU Theater graduate.
At the helm of this production are co-directors Aubrey Seader, ONP Artistic Director, and Cassie Hakken, director of Off Night Production’s July 2023 production of “Proof.” They are thrilled to be joined by a majority-female and non-binary creative team, which includes stage managers Lori Garraghty and Chelsea Pell, scenic and props designer Melinda Seader, hair and wig designer Christopher Simanton, costume designer Dana Tzvetkov, sound designer Valeriya Nedviga, and lighting designer Ashley Christensen. Featured voiceovers will be performed by I. James Torry.
Co-Director Cassie Hakken is thrilled to be working with this talented team to bring Truvy’s Beauty shop to life. “You’ll feel right at home in this haven of self-care, hairspray, and casseroles. We invite you to connect with these six incredibly real women as they embrace the hilarity and tragedy of life and the restoring power of female friendships.”
While ONP seeks to showcase local acting talent through its production of “Steel Magnolias,” Artistic Director Aubrey Seader sees the selection of this show as a love letter to a city full of strong female leadership. “We hope this play will serve to celebrate the many women who continue to improve local quality of life through their leadership, and through their everyday (often overlooked) labors of love.”
Tickets for “Steel Magnolias” are on sale now via the Buskirk Chumley Box Office (114 E Kirkwood Avenue, 812-323-3020 ext 1), or online at www.buskirkchumley.org. Tickets are $30 and seating is general admission. Due to Off Night’s non-traditional performance schedule, tickets for performances on Sundays and Mondays must be purchased through the Buskirk-Chumley Box Office by 4:00 P.M. on the Saturday before the show you plan to attend. If availability remains, tickets can also be purchased at the door (via cash or card).
Learn more about Off Night Productions at www.offnightproductions.org.
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About Off Night Productions
Off Night Productions (ONP) is a Monroe county-based, female-led theatre company producing contemporary theatre and music on off-nights (Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday) of the traditional performance week. Off Night Productions is the only local theater company with the aims of tackling issues and limitations we see in the theatre industry locally and globally by extending the traditional performance week (producing on off-nights), prioritizing female and non-binary artistic leadership across all aspects of production, and practicing sustainability from the planning stages of each production through the final performance and set tear down.
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