Posted on Friday, October 10, 2025
At Truvy’s beauty salon in the small Louisiana town of Chinquapin we meet Truvy, Annelle, M’Lynn, Shelby, Clairee and Ouiser, six unforgettable characters who celebrate the enduring power and resilience of friendship.
Robert Harling wrote the play as a tribute to his sister Susan (Shelby in the play) who struggled with diabetes and kidney disease.
“He likens these iconic characters to magnolia trees which ‘establish strong root systems and are known for their ability to survive strong winds and challenging environmental conditions,’” says Kim Barber Knoll, Fine & Performing Arts Chair and Director of the play.
The cast traveled to Harling’s hometown of Natchitoches and stayed at the Steel Magnolias House where much of the 1989 movie was filmed. The trip was made possible through the generosity of the Louis and Mary Kay Smith Travel Grant.
“We met with two remarkable women, Chris Evans and Northwestern Professor Vicki Parish, who knew “Bobby,” Susan and the Harling family well,” Knoll says. “We laughed and wept as they regaled us with stories and anecdotes—Shelby’s fire batons, M'Lynn’s strength and grace, Ouiser’s zest and the coming-together of their close Chinquapin Parish community in times of need.
Making up the cast are senior Aria Mabry (M’Lynn), sophomore Summer Baker (Clairee), junior Abigail Humphries (Truvy), senior Aubrey Helton (Annelle), sophomore Madilynn Rieke (Ouiser) and freshman Gwendolyn Cabaniss (Shelby).
“Shelby is compassionate and determined. She stands up for herself,” says Cabaniss, who is performing in her first LC Theatre production.
“She loves being able to prove to her mother, M’Lynn, that she has everything under control,” she says.
M’Lynn is a pillar of strength, according to Mabry.
“She’s the one who shows everyone that it’s going to be OK, no matter what; but she is strong to a fault,” she says. “M’Lynn always knows what to say, and she’ll always tell you what you need to hear and not what you want to hear.”
Baker describes her character Clairee as an elegant former first lady with great wisdom and grace.
“Clairee is honest and down to earth and cares more about others than she does herself,” she says. “She is selfless and always down to have a good laugh.”
Truvy, who is the proprietor of her garage-turned-beauty salon, has a heart of gold and a lot of sass, according to Humphries.
“Truvy thrives on everyone’s business in the best possible way,” she says. “She loves being around people and wants them to feel good about themselves. Her shop is the gathering place for these women to let their hair down.”
Annelle is a fledgling hair stylist and new in town.
“Truvy takes her under her wing, and in the process, she grows close to these women,” Helton says.
Ouiser Boudreaux is a firecracker who is not afraid to tell it like it is to anyone and everyone, according to Rieke.
“She has no filter, but she loves these women mightily,” she says.
The play reminds us of so many good things in life, according to Knoll.
“The strength and lifelong connection of true friends, devotion to family no matter what, the steel women possess when we must carry on and as Truvy says best, ‘Laughter through tears, my favorite emotion,’” she says.
The production will run Oct. 16-19. The performance time is 7 p.m. (Thursday), 5 p.m. (Friday-Saturday) and 2 p.m. (Sunday) at Price Theater.
Ticket reservations are made through Eventbrite. The cost is $10 for adults and free for LC faculty, staff and students. Be certain to select the appropriate ticket when given the option. Cash and checks are accepted at the door.
The week’s student events include:
Sunday – Class of 2026 Senior Reception, 2 p.m., Sunny Gables Alumni House
Monday – Red & Black Gala, 7 p.m., Dickson Assembly Room
Tuesday – 90’s Skate Night, 7:30 p.m., Callaway Education Building
Wednesday – Karaoke Hour, noon, Pitts Dining Hall
Thursday – Pep Rally, 11:15 a.m., Caswell Plaza
Friday – Alumni event: Flashback Friday party, 7:30 p.m., Overlook Plaza at Wild Leap Brewing Co.
Saturday – Homecoming Tailgate & Game Day, 10 a.m., Callaway Auditorium parking lot
Alumni events include the 41st Tom Duckett Golf Classic (Friday, 9 a.m., Highland Country Club); Class of 1975 50th Reunion Celebration (Friday, 6 p.m., Lamar Dodd Art Center) Association of Black Collegians Cookout (Friday, 6 p.m., Callaway Auditorium parking lot); Men’s Alumni Basketball Meet and Greet (Saturday, 10 a.m., Mariotti Gym); Classes of 1950, 1955, 1960 Reunion Picnic Luncheon (Saturday, 11:30 a.m., Beason); Classes of 1974-80 & Friends Celebration (Saturday, 7 p.m., Ensemble Building Room E506, West Side); the LC Alumni and Community Memorial Service (Sunday, 10:30 a.m., Chapel); and the Softball Alumni Game & Picnic Lunch (Sunday, 11:30 a.m., LC Softball Complex).
Black Male Initiative presents David “Swagg R’Celious” Harris ’09
Tuesday, Oct. 14
11 a.m., Dickson Assembly Room
Career Assessment
Thursday, Oct. 16
11 a.m., Bailey Room
Attorney Drew Williamson ’13
Thursday, Oct. 16
11:15 a.m., Lewis Library, Room 317
“Steel Magnolias”
Thursday, Oct. 16 – Sunday, Oct. 19
7 p.m. (Thursday), 5 p.m. (Friday and Saturday), 2 p.m. (Sunday)
Price Theater main stage
Football
The Panthers go on the road for the first time in a month when they travel to Methodist University on Saturday, Oct. 11 (tomorrow), in a USA South Conference contest. LaGrange is coming off a 41-24 statement win over North Carolina Wesleyan University on Saturday, Oct. 4, to open their league play schedule. Kickoff will be at 1 p.m.
Men's Soccer
LC went 0-1-1 for the week. After a 4-0 setback at Covenant on Saturday, the Panthers were down 3-0 in the second half to conference rival Piedmont on Wednesday evening before rallying for a 3-3 draw. The team is back on the field on Friday, Oct. 10 (today), when they play host to Maryville in a 7 p.m. game.
Women's Soccer
The Panthers went 0-2 for the week with 1-0 setback to Asbury on Saturday, Oct. 4, before a heart-breaking 2-1 loss to Piedmont on Wednesday, Oct. 8. The team will return to the field on Saturday, Oct. 11 (tomorrow), when they play host to Wesleyan College in a 2 p.m. game. The Panthers will be recognizing their graduating senior class as part of senior day prior to the game.
Women's Volleyball
LC split at the Piedmont tri-match on Saturday, Oct. 4, losing a five-set heartbreaker to Covenant College before sweeping the host Lions. The team is back on the court on Saturday, Oct. 11 (tomorrow), when they play host to Maryville and Agnes Scott in a CCS tri-match.
Freshman Alex Krabs was named CCS Rookie of the Week. She finished the week averaging 3.13 kills and 3.38 digs per set, along with seven total blocks, to pace LaGrange on both sides of the net.
Men's Golf
The Panthers competed at the West Pines Collegiate Invitational Oct. 6-7 at the West Pines Golf Club in Douglasville, Georgia, coming in 15th place out of 21 teams. The team will compete next at the Chick-Fill-A Invitational Oct. 21-22.
(Please note that schedules may change due to circumstances beyond our control. Please check www.lagrangepanthers.com to confirm.)
Friday, Oct. 10 – Men’s Soccer (Home) vs. Maryville, 7 p.m., Panther Field
Saturday, Oct. 11 – Volleyball (Home) vs. Maryville, noon, Mariotti Gym
Saturday, Oct. 11 – Men’s Tennis (Home) vs. Coastal Alabama Community College-South, 12:30 p.m., Greer Tennis Courts
Saturday, Oct. 11 – Women’s Tennis (Home) vs. Coastal Alabama Community College-South, 12:30 p.m., Greer Tennis Courts
Saturday, Oct. 11 – Football at Methodist, 1 p.m., Fayetteville, North Carolina
Saturday, Oct. 11 – Women’s Soccer (Home) vs. Wesleyan College, 2 p.m., Panther Field
Saturday, Oct. 11 – Volleyball (Home) vs. Agnes Scott, 4 p.m., Mariotti Gym
Sunday, Oct. 12 – Men’s Soccer at Warren Wilson, 4 p.m., Asheville, North Carolina
Wednesday, Oct. 15 – Women’s Soccer at Huntingdon, 7 p.m., Montgomery, Alabama
Thursday, Oct. 16 – Volleyball (Home) vs. Belhaven, 7 p.m., Mariotti Gym
Award-winning Hollywood composer joins LaGrange College faculty, LaGrange Daily News, Oct. 7
Category: Students, Community, Arts and Culture
Keywords: Performing Arts, Homecoming
