RESERVE - “Steel Magnolias” by Robert Harling will open St. John Theatre’s 2008 season. Directed by Reserve native, Darryl P. Clement, “Steel Magnolias” is set for one weekend only, beginning February 21 through February 23 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, February 24 at 2:30 p.m. General Admission tickets are $10 and available at Allied Express in LaPlace and at the theatre box office before each performance. A reduced price of $8 is available to groups of 10 or more.

“Steel Magnolias” is set entirely in Truvy’s beauty shop, in a small town in Louisiana, where six strong southern women meet regularly. They gossip, complain about the men in their lives, poke fun at themselves and sometimes even fight with each other. But through the good times, and the bad times, they show us the strong bond that women can create with one another and the strength they can gain from each other.

The cast of “Steel Magnolias” is Louise Liliedahl as Truvy Jones, Maria Hotard Stelly as Anelle Dupuy-DeSoto, Ann LeBlanc as Clairee Belcher, Alison Hotard-Treas as Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie, Beverly Beard as M’Lynn Eatenton and Deborah Corrao as Ouiser Boudreaux. “Steel Magnolias” is as funny as it is emotional. As Truvy says, “laughter though tears is my favorite emotion.”

St. John Theatre is located at 115 W. 4th Street in Reserve. For more information visit www.stjohntheatre.com or call Beverly Beard at 985-764-7688. Allied Express is located at 101 Carrollton Dr. in Laplace, 985-651-9322.