Nancy Opel, Carrie St. Louis, and More Will Lead Reading of STEEL MAGNOLIAS

Abingdon Theatre Company will present a one-night only reading of Steel Magnolias, by Robert Harling, directed by Blanche Baker on Monday, May 20th at 7pm at The Lucille Lortel Theatre (120 Christopher Street.)

Steel Magnolias is set in Truvy's beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies who are "anybody" come to have their hair done. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (who is not sure whether or not she is still married), the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town's rich curmudgeon, Ouiser, ("I'm not crazy, I've just been in a bad mood for forty years"); an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M'Lynn, whose daughter, Shelby (the prettiest girl in town), is about to marry a "good ole boy." Filled with hilarious repartee and not a few acerbic but humorously revealing verbal collisions, the play moves toward tragedy when, in the second act, the spunky Shelby (who is a diabetic) risks pregnancy and forfeits her life. The sudden realization of their mortality affects the others, but also draws on the underlying strength-and love-which give the play, and its characters, the special quality to make them truly touching, funny and marvelously amiable company in good times and bad.

Directed by Emmy Award winner and original Shelby Blanche Baker, the star-studded cast will feature Tony nominee Brenda Braxton as Truvy, star of Dear Evan Hansen Lisa Brescia as M'Lynn, five time Tony Award nominee Sandy Duncan as Clairee, star and creator of Hulu's "Difficult People" Julie Klausner as Annelle, Tony nominee Nancy Opel as Ouiser, and from Broadway's Kinky Boots, Carrie St. Louis as Shelby.

"I can't thank enough my friend Blanche Baker and the six luminous ladies who will bring this classic American piece of theatre to life where it started Off-Broadway over 30 years ago," says Chad Austin, Abingdon Theatre Company's Artistic Director. "It is going to be an electrifying evening celebrating women and a night not to be missed."

Tickets for Steel Magnolias are priced at $77 (orchestra) and $28 (mezzanine). All tickets are tax deductible and will benefit Abingdon's continuous education mission along with the Educational Theatre Foundation Craig Zadan Memorial Fund. They may be purchased online at www.ovationtix.com.

For more information, please visit www.abingtontheatre.org.