'Steel Magnolias' is Rust-less at NTAC - Review
Newport Theatre Arts Center Production of "Steel Magnolias" Surpasses All Expectations, a Rare Time an Adaptation Surpasses the Original.
Some stories never lose their significance and “Steel Magnolias,” happens to be one of them. The beloved 1989 film is remembered for its incredible ensemble cast, but the stage adaptation at the Newport Theatre Arts Center (NTAC) reminds us that this story never needed twenty characters bustling through Chinquapin Parish. Stripping the play down to just the six female leads makes every laugh, every tear and hit with the force of a prime Mike Tyson body blow. There is nowhere to hide, which means every relationship carries more weight and every moment matters.
What makes “Steel Magnolias,” so refreshing even 37 years later is how rare its central premise still feels. Here is a female-driven story where women genuinely love, encourage and support one another. They tease each other relentlessly, but there is never any cruelty behind the words. There is no backbiting, no backhanded compliments and no competition to outdo one another. Instead, these women lift each other through life’s celebrations and tragedies, making authentic friendships that remain uncommon on stage and screen (see the “Family Guy,” Clip Below).
Sarah Bielicki steps into the role made famous by Julia Roberts as Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie with genuine sincerity. Her Shelby is independent despite living with Type-1 diabetes and her relationship with her mother, M’Lynn, becomes load bearing wall of the evening. Bielicki beautifully captures a young woman desperate to spread her wings while constantly running into the protective grip of a mother whose fear has transformed into control. Their arguments are not one-sided because both women are driven entirely by love, even when that love becomes suffocating.
Jeanetta Behr inherits Dolly Parton’s role of Truvy Jones and tosses out one-liners with an ease that would make Parton proud. She keeps the salon humming with effortless charm while serving as the glue that keeps this chosen family together.
Judy Jones embraces the prickly nature of Ouiser Boudreaux, originally played by Shirley MacLaine. She is the lovable old crow who masks her enormous heart beneath a gallon of piss and vinegar. Every sarcastic remark lands because Jones never lets the audience forget that compassion is always lurking just beneath the surface.
Alexandra Bank recreates Olympia Dukakis’ Clairee Belcher with tremendous confidence and it is a wonderful performance, though it feels more of a love letter to Dukakis, her cadence and mannerisms. While it is undeniably entertaining, I found myself wish Bank made Clairee distinctly hers…unless that’s her natural speech pattern, then she’s golden.
The evening’s biggest scene stealer is Michelle M. Pedersen as M’Lynn Eatenton, the role originated by Sally Field. Pedersen perfectly conveys the impossible balancing act of a mother whose desperate need to protect her daughter slowly becomes smothering rather than comforting. One unexpectedly charming moment comes when she casually slips her hand into her dress pocket. Every woman who has ever discovered pockets in a dress knows that burst of euphoria. It carries the same joy a child feels after finding forgotten candy in a coat pocket. Somehow that tiny gesture reveals more about M’Lynn’s humanity and compassion than any monologue. It becomes one of the evening’s most memorable moments because it briefly allows her to stop holding herself together.
Then there is Giana Garcia as Annelle Dupuy-Desoto, the role first played by Daryl Hannah. Garcia, who I had previously seen in, “These Shinging Lives,” (‘These Shining Lives’ Shimmers at Vanguard University – Review) delivers the production’s showstopping performance. Every nervous fidget, every facial expression and every startled reaction, whether responding to distant gunshots or overwhelming emotions, feels completely genuine. Her commitment extends far beyond her dialogue. Watching her work behind the salon chair, I became convinced she had attended cosmetology school. The smallest details sell the illusion, especially the instinctive way she shields Clairee’s eyes from the cloud of hairspray with her forearm. It is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment that perfectly captures how deeply Garcia inhabits Annelle. Nothing she does is performed. She embodies Anelle, all the way down to washing her hands following a spill.
Director Kathy Paladino, alongside assistant directors Jackie Melbon and David Rodriguez, create an entire Louisiana community within the walls of a single beauty salon. Their work makes the outside world feel enormous without ever leaving the room. Madison Melendes’ stage management keeps everything flowing beautifully. Even the slightly longer transitions never stall the momentum. Instead, they feel like the changing of the seasons as life quietly moves forward.
Jim Huffman’s design and technical direction are marvelous while Michael Corcoran’s construction once again transforms the Newport Theatre Arts Center stage into a remarkably detailed environment. Nearly every production I have seen at NTAC seems to require a staircase and I found myself joking with lighting, sound and tech booth operations maverick, Joshua Serrano that the theater has built so many staircases over the last three years they could probably have constructed several single-family homes by now.
Speaking of Serrano, his technical work is untouchable here. Not a single cue faltered. Not one lighting or sound hiccup pulled the audience out of the story. Jenny Wentworth’s costumes and Cliff Senior’s wigs effortlessly transport 2026, Newport Beach into 1989, small-town Louisiana for nearly two hours of pure enjoyment.
Bob Fetes’ props are so convincing that by curtain call I was half tempted to ask Jeanetta Behr if she had time for a manicure before heading home.
The Newport Theatre Arts Center’s “Steel Magnolias,” is funny, heartbreaking and most importantly, human. By focusing entirely on these six extraordinary characters, the production reminds us that friendship, family and resilience have always been the true stars of this story. The film may have had a larger cast, but this intimate stage adaptation proves that sometimes fewer voices create the loudest emotional impact.
“Steel Magnolias,” at the Newport Theatre Arts Center runs from now through July 19, 2026.
To purchase tickets for “Steel Magnolias,” at the Newport Theatre Arts Center visit: https://www.ntactickets.com/ or call the box office at: +1(-949-631-0288.
The Newport Theatre Arts Center is located at:
2501 Cliff Dr.
Newport Beach, CA 92663
5 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐