[NEohioPAL] Steel Magnolias Opens Coach House Season Oct. 2

[Nancy Cates]

COACH HOUSE THEATRE

732 W. Exchange Street

Akron, OH 44302

Box Office: 330-434-7741

www.coachhousetheatre.org

 

Get dolled up for 'Steel Magnolias' 

at Coach House Theatre

Oct. 2-19, 2008

 

The warm and touching comedy Steel Magnolias will open Coach House Theatre's
81st season. The show begins with a preview on Thursday, Oct. 2 and runs
through Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008.

Steel Magnolias, by Robert Harling, centers on a group of Southern ladies in
a small-town beauty parlor. It's alternately hilarious and touching, and in
the end, deeply revealing of the underlying strength and love of old
friends. Both the play and its characters have the special ability to be
marvelously spirited company, in good times and bad.

The cast includes six well-known area actresses. 

Linda Graske of Akron plays the role of Truvy. Her previous Coach House
shows include The Nerd, Hay Fever, Murder on the Nile, The Real Thing and
California Suite, and she has been seen at Weathervane and Ohio Shakespeare
Festival.

Beth Judy of Akron, in the role of Annelle, makes her Coach House debut. She
was recently seen in Weathervane Playhouse's Ragtime. Her other roles
include Brooke in Noises Off, Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie
Brown, Helga in Cabaret, and Deirdre in I Hate Hamlet. 

The role of Clairee is played by Karen Wood of Creston. She was last seen at
Coach House in Hay Fever, and recently acted at Cleveland Public Theatre,
Weathervane, and Ohio Shakespeare Festival. She is also a performer in the
"Mysteries by Moushey" acting troupe.

Shelby is played by Tess Burgler of Kent, currently a senior at The College
of Wooster majoring in theater. Also making her debut at Coach House, she
has performed at Ohio Shakespeare Festival, Porthouse Theatre, and Kent
State University. Recent roles include Deirdre in I Hate Hamlet,
Guildenstern in Hamlet, and Ann in All My Sons.

Maureen Johnson of Akron plays the role of Ouiser. She has been seen at
Coach House most recently in Driving Miss Daisy and A Murder is Announced,
and also appeared as Ethel in Moon Over Buffalo at Weathervane last season.

M'Lynn will be played by Dede Klein of Hudson, who was last seen at Coach
House as Judith Bliss in Hay Fever. She has also worked at the Ohio
Shakespeare Festival, Weathervane Playhouse, Beck Center, The Bang and the
Clatter, Chagrin Valley Theatre, Aurora Theatre, and Hudson Players.

Steel Magnolias is directed by Nancy Cates, one of Coach House's two new
Artistic Directors.  In past seasons here she has directed Driving Miss
Daisy, Oh, Coward!, and Hay Fever. She is also one of the two Artistic
Directors of Ohio Shakespeare Festival, and will be directing OSF's upcoming
production of the one-man show Barrymore's Ghost here at Coach House this
Halloween. 

Steel Magnolias will be presented Oct. 2-19, 2008. Curtain times are
Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.
The house opens a half hour before the show, and the box office opens one
hour before the show. Coach House Theatre is located at 732 W. Exchange
Street, in Akron, next to the Akron Woman's City Club. Tickets for Steel
Magnolias are on sale now. Prices are $16, and discounts for students are
available.

Coach House now offers two different subscription packages:

Open Voucher Subscription Package - You Choose: Receive 5 vouchers to use on
any performance during the first two weeks of each production.

Five Play Subscription Package: See all 5plays: Receive one voucher for each
of the 5 plays, good for any performance of that particular play.

Reservations are recommended by calling our box office at 330-434-7741.

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