“Steel Magnolias” may take place in a beauty saloon with a group of gossipy women, but it also delves into how these characters use comedy, and each other, as a vehicle to move past pain and loss.
The Park Players, which have been putting on productions for 31 years in the Hudson-Bergen County region, decided not only try their hand at the play, but perform it at a beauty parlor in North Bergen.
“You laugh, you cry, you hug and you learn.” – Joseph Fiorenza Conklin
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“Steel Magnolias” was a play written in the 1980s by Robert Harling while dealing with his diabetic sister’s death. It centers on Southern women who meet at Truvy’s Beauty Parlor. Conklin said that even though the cast is comprised of six women, men can indentify with the themes of the play since everyone has a female relative.
“It’s a feel good play [that] taps into every emotion you can possibly have,” said Conklin. “You laugh, you cry, you hug and you learn, and that’s exactly what you get out of this.”
Conklin said that the Park Players have become a theatre troupe that does productions at venues, rather than theatres. In keeping true with that theme, the show will take place at the Glamour Salon, located at 7716 Bergenline Ave.
Made for the part
Conklin said that the salon fits the time period of the play perfectly.
“One almost breaks the fourth wall in a sense because the audience then becomes part of the actual storyline itself,” said Conklin.
He said that one of the funnier moments of the play is when the characters talk about how all gay men have track lighting, which the Glamour Saloon is equipped with.
The biggest help to the production has been the fact that all of the women share aspects of the characters in real life.
Judy Espaillat, originally from North Bergen and now a Ridgefield Park resident, will take the role of salon owner Truvy. She said Truvy has an “outward shine” that covers some of love that she doesn’t receive herself. She is a person who helps very different women find common ground.
“I’m very close to the character in reality,” said Espaillat.
Trisha Johnson, who plays the part of Shelby, explained that she went to an acting coach six years ago because of how much she loved the role.
Ouiser is performed by Laura Iacometta. Ouiser is a sarcastic character who is a “crank,” but underneath it all really does care. She said that the role was a “dream come true.”
“I’m a nurse and we kind of make fun of patients all day long, but we’re as sweet as pie to them,” said Iacometta. “It’s funny how you can just turn it on and off. That’s what I bring to this role.”
Mary Ann Flores has been working with the Park Players for 30 years. She said that her role as Clairee had been aided by her life experiences.
Melissa Welz, who is a music teacher at Horace Mann School, is Annelle, a newcomer to town. To prepare, she thought about how awkward she was in elementary school.
Ninette Petruzziello auditioned for a different Park Players production in 1988, but had to decline the role because her father passed away. She said that she has often been type-casted as an “inner city teacher” and that having the part, as well as the camaraderie of her fellow actors, meant a lot of her.
She said her life experiences helped her in the role of M’Lynn. “I think everybody has experienced the loss of a loved one,” said Petruzziello.
Conklin said that all of the actresses are like “sponges” because of how they take direction.
Local support
Welz said that she appreciated what the Park Players do for the community because she feels that music and acting help people grow as individuals.
“The way I see it, nobody can go to see Broadway shows [because] the economy has gotten so bad and Broadway tickets are always like $300 and these tickets are $20,” said Welz. “People can literally walk out of their house and come see a show [rather] than pay for tickets that are phenomenal amounts of money.”
Flores, a North Bergen resident, said that culture, in its many forms, is important for the community at large and the younger generation.
Johnson, who has been a part of the group since she was 5, said that a show like this will help people put their problems aside for the moment.
Espaillat said that that the audience will find this type of show, with all of its emotions, a rewarding experience. Plus she said that they deserve a break.
“Just the economy right now, there are so many people that are unemployed,” said Espaillat. “It is important for people to go out and just give themselves a little pleasure and just be entertained by a group of women. We absolutely love what we do [and] we’re not getting paid for this. We do this for the love of acting, theatre and entertainment.”
Performances are on July 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 at 8 p.m. and July 12 and 19 at 5 p.m. and tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for students and seniors. For more information call (201) 941-6030.
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.