Published: November 17, 2009 08:38 am      

Steel Magnolias

Production opens at 8 p.m. Thursday night

By Carl Keith Greene / Staff Writer

Robert Harling’s 1987 “Steel Magnolias” opens Thursday and runs through Sunday at London’s Gusto Theatre at 206 North Main.

The play that became an award-winning movie is set in Truvy’s beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana.

It’s filled with humorous dialogue among Truvy and her customers, but leads the way toward tragedy and teaches how things change quickly.

The girls realize how their mortality can affect others. The play also shows how strength and love make the girls touching, funny and amiable company, even in bad times.

Six London actresses, directed by Doug Salyers, promise to make the audience laugh and cry as the story develops.

Judy House plays Truvy. Annelle is portrayed by Brooke Cole. Heather Dyche is M’Lynn, Katie Ann Burr is Shelby, Clariee is Pam Owens and Jayna Alexander is Ouiser.

Curtain is at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for senior citizens and children under 12.

This is the second production of the Gusto Theatre Company, which expects to mount a new production each month.