Drury Lane Theatre Announces Cast for Production of STEEL MAGNOLIAS

Drury Lane Theatre announces the cast for its production of the empowering story of love and friendship, Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling, directed by Johanna Mckenzie Miller. Due to demand, Steel Magnolias has been extended and now runs June 10 - August 7, 2022, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. The press opening is scheduled for Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.

The cast of Steel Magnolias includes Janet Ulrich Brooks (Ouiser), Amy J. Carle (M'Lynn), Lillian Castillo (Annelle), Cordelia Dewdney (Shelby), Elizabeth Ledo (Truvy), Susie McMonagle (Clairee), McKinley Carter (u/s Truvy, M'Lynn), Hannah Fernandes (u/s Shelby, Annelle), and Meighan Gerachis (u/s Ouiser, Clairee).

The all-female creative team bringing this story of friendship to life includes Angela Weber Miller (Scenic Designer), Jessica Pabst (Costume Designer), Lindsey Lyddan (Lighting Designer), Sarah Ramos (Sound Designer), Cassy Schillo (Properties Design), Emily Young (Hair & Wig Design), and Sammi Grant (Dialect Coach). The Production Stage Manager is Juli Hrovat-Walker.

In a beauty parlor in northwestern Louisiana, life is anything but boring. Steel Magnolias follows six women over the course of three years as they face life's challenges together and find comfort in one another. Embracing both laughter and tears, this story celebrates the power of female friendship.

Tickets, priced $64-$79, are available by phone at (630) 530-0111 or online at www.drurylanetheatre.com.

Steel Magnolias is rated PG.

About the Artists

Johanna Mckenzie Miller (Director) is making her Drury Lane directing debut with Steel Magnolias. Ms. McKenzie Miller most recently directed the 91st Annual Waa-Mu show at Northwestern University A Peculiar Inheritance. Previous directing credits include world premiere musical Sherw'd (First Folio Theatre), New Faces Sing Broadway, Now! (Porchlight Music Theatre), Kiss Me Kate (Marriot Theatre), Junie B Jones & Madagascar, A Musical Adventure (Marriot Theatre for Young Audiences) where she will be directing The Wizard of Oz this summer. Armed with a Bachelors of Music from NIU she has appeared onstage at Drury Lane as Elizabeth in Young Frankenstein, Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof, and Katie Nana in Mary Poppins.

Janet Ulrich Brooks (Ouiser) has appeared previously at Drury Lane in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof; and Crazy For You. A Company Member of TimeLine Theatre, Janet has performed in over 15 productions including the role of Maria Callas in Master Class (Joseph Jefferson Award - Performer in a Principal Role). Other Chicago credits include work with Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Lookingglass, Northlight, and Theatre at the Center. Regional theatre credits include Woolly Mammoth, Milwaukee Rep, Kennedy Center, and Theatre Squared in Fayetteville, AR. Films include: Divergent, Conviction, One Small Hitch, and Fools. T.V. credits include Work In Progress (Showtime), Fargo (FX), Sense8 (Netflix), Proven Innocent (FoxTV), and Boss (STARZ). Janet was the first recipient of the Ed See Outstanding Theatre Alumnus Award from University of Central Missouri. A proud member of AEA & SAG/AFTRA.

Amy J. Carle (M'Lynn) and is thrilled to be at Drury Lane! Chicago credits include: A Doll's House (Writers Theatre); Harvey, Orlando (Court Theatre); The Book of Joseph (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Wonderful Town, The Sins of Sor Juana, Rock 'N' Roll, Desire Under the Elms (Goodman Theatre); The Book Thief, The Internationalist, Animals Out of Paper, Sex With Strangers, Hedda Gabler (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Hard Times, North China Lover, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Peter Pan, Trust (Lookingglass Theatre); Season's Greetings (Northlight); Noises Off, Chapter Two (Windy City Playhouse); Luce (Next Theatre), Gidion's Knot (Profiles); Refuge (CollaborAction); SubUrbia, The Lights, Ecstasy, WAS, and The Planets (Roadworks Productions). Off-Broadway National Tour: The Vagina Monologues. Regional: The Profane (Chautauqua Theatre Company); Fully Committed, The Diary of Anne Frank (Madison Rep.); Or, (Forward Theatre); Morning Star (Kansas City Rep.). Television: Soundtrack (Netflix), Boss (STARZ), Chicago Code (FOX), Law & Order, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, CRISIS (NBC). Film: Who Gets the Dog?.

Lillian Castillo (Annelle) returns to the Drury Lane stage where she appeared as Tracy in Hairspray and Rosalia in West Side Story. Other Chicago credits include: Mamma Mia, Sister Act, Kiss Me Kate at Marriott Theatre; Seussical, Taming of the Shrew, Ride the Cyclone (US premiere) at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; The Music Man at Goodman Theatre. Regional credits: Why Do Fools Fall in Love?, In the Heights, and Titanic at Milwaukee Rep; Glorious at Arkansas Rep; H.M.S. Pinafore, School for Wives, Macbeth at Utah Shakes; In the Heights at Seattle Rep and Portland Center Stage; Ride the Cyclone at ACT, The Alliance Theatre, and MCC. She voices Jocasta Stormwood on "Mythic Thunderlute," a D&D musical podcast.

Cordelia Dewdney (Shelby) is making her Drury Lane debut. Chicago credits include Mr. Dickens' Hat at Northlight Theatre and Moby Dick, Hard Times, and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at the Lookingglass Theatre where she is thrilled to be an Artistic Associate. Regional credits include Moby Dick at The Alliance Theatre, Arena Stage, and South Coast Repertory as well as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (The McCarter Theatre in association with Lookingglass Theatre). Television credits include Chicago Med. She is a proud member of AEA and SAG.

Elizabeth Ledo (Truvy) has previously appeared at Drury Lane in Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, and Mamma Mia. Chicago credits: All's Well That Ends Well, The King's Speech, Tug of War, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, Amadeus (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), The Secret Garden, Titus Andronicus, The Illusion, Tartuffe, Uncle Vanya (Court Theatre), The Matchmaker, Boleros for the Disenchanted, A Christmas Carol (The Goodman Theatre), Homebody/Kabul, Morning Star (Steppenwolf Theatre), Isaac's Eye, Arms and the Man (Writers Theatre), The Chalk Garden, Charm (Northlight Theatre). Chicago credits include productions with About Face Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Timeline Theatre and First Folio Theatre. Regional credits include productions with American Players Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, Indiana Rep, Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, Syracuse Stage and over 20 productions with Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. National Tour: The King's Speech. Elizabeth is a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago.

Susie McMonagle (Clairee) was last seen at Drury Lane as Donna in Mamma Mia. Other Drury Lane credits include: Mrs. Wilkinson in Billy Elliot and Diana in Next to Normal for which she won a Jeff award. Ms. McMonagle's Chicago credits include: Gretta in James Joyce's The Dead, Man of La Mancha (Court Theatre), Candida in Rock 'n' Roll (Goodman Theatre), Suzannah in Black Pearl Sings, Jane Grant in At Wits End, Daisy in Sideshow (Northlight Theatre). Additional Chicago credits include: Flora in Indian Ink, Mae in Dirty Blonde, Shelby in Spitfire Grill, Annie in Annie Get Your Gun, Ellen in Miss Saigon, Reno in Anything Goes, Grizabella in Cats, Eva Perón in Evita and Florence in Chess. First National tours include: Mrs. Wilkinson and Mum in Billy Elliot. Other National Tours include Donna in Mamma Mia!, Fantine in Les Miserables and The Secret Garden. McMonagle appeared on Broadway as Fantine in Les Miserables. Susie has appeared on Chicago Med in several episodes. She is a recipient of After Dark Awards, Critics' Circle Awards, Joseph Jefferson Award as well as eleven Joseph Jefferson nominations. She received her BFA from Stephens College.

McKinley Carter (u/s Truvy, M'Lynn) previous work at Drury Lane includes Mamma Mia, The Sound Of Music, Deathtrap, Something's Afoot, Ragtime, and Tintypes. Other Chicago credits include: Spring Awakening, Sunset Blvd, Putting It Together, Porchlight Music Theatre; Into The Woods, Parade, Writers Theatre; Fun Home, Victory Gardens; The Book of Will, Title Of Show, Northlight Theatre; Mamma Mia, The Sound of Music, Ragtime, Drury Lane Theatre; The Merry Widow, Carousel, Lyric Opera; Macbeth, Road Show, Julius Caesar, Sunday In The Park With George, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre; Blind Date, Turn Of The Century, The Visit, Floyd Collins, Goodman Theatre; The Man Who Murdered Sherlock Holmes, Mercury Theatre; John and Jen, Assassins, Apple Tree Theatre; Forbidden Broadway, Royal George Theatre; Winesburg Ohio, Steppenwolf Theatre; James Joyce's The Dead, Cymbeline and Pericles, Court Theatre.

HANNAH FERNANDES (u/s Shelby, Annelle) is thrilled to be back on the Drury Stage so soon after making her debut in The King and I as Ensemble and Anna u/s! In addition to performing, Hannah has taught acting at Viterbo University and is on her way to becoming a certified Intimacy Director. Notable credits include: MTWichita- Carousel (Carrie); Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma- Disney's When You Wish (Jasmine), West Side Story (Rosalia/Maria u/s). Hannah studied at Wichita State University, Maggie Flanigan Studio, and IDC Professionals. Many thanks to the original inhabitants of this land, the Indigenous tribes: Kiikaapoi, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Bodwéwadmi, Myaamia, Hoocąk, and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ.

Meighan Gerachis (u/s Ouiser, Clairee) has appeared in Chicago in Roe, The Wolves, A Christmas Carol, New Stages Blue Skies Process and Graveyard Shift (Goodman); Admissions, Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England (Theater Wit), Small Mouth Sounds, Solstice (A Red Orchid Theater); Domesticated, Our Town and The House on Mango Street (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); The Electric Baby, Precious Little, The Walls, Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue, Indulgences at the Louisville Harem, Factory Girls, My Simple City, Wrens (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble); Measure for Measure (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Cloud Nine (About Face Theatre); Cigarettes and Moby Dick and Che Che Che (Latino Chicago); The Underpants (Noble Fool Theatricals). Regional: Charm (Mixed Blood Theatre); Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue (Stageworks). Film /TV: Somebody Somewhere, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, At Any Price, Virginia. Chicago P.D., Crisis, Bobby & Iza, Sirens and Battleground.

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