Faces and Places Ministries will be holding auditions for the upcoming show, “Steel Magnolias”, a play written by Robert Harling.
The auditions are set for Sunday, April 22 at 2:30 p.m.
Callbacks will be held Monday, April 23 at 7 p.m.
All auditions will be held at the new Faces and Places Ministries Center for the Christian Arts, located behind Radio Shack at 954 Logan Avenue.
Women should be prepared to read several selections from the script at the time of the audition.
According to information provided by Faces and Places Ministries, “The play was written in honor of Robert Harling’s sister Susan, who inspired him to write the play when she died after surgery. She told him in the hospital that she wished she could help him make it big in New York somehow but did not know what to do.”
Steel Magnolias is set in 1980’s Chinquapin Parish, Louisiana and revolves around Truvy Jones’ Beauty Salon, which she runs from her own home.
It starts on the wedding day of Shelby Eatenton, the overly protected and diabetic daughter of Truvy’s regular M’Lynn.
Truvy’s new assistant, Annelle, has just started her first day and the former mayor’s wife, Clairee Belcher, has just came back from a memorial dedication. Meanwhile, Ouiser Boudreaux is flustered over the condition of her dog thanks to M’Lynn’s husband.
Though a bout of diabetic shock from Shelby shocks the women, things proceed as usual and Shelby sets off for her “blush and bashful” wedding.
Later on, around Christmas, Shelby comes back to Chinquapin Parish to visit family and to inform everyone that she is pregnant.
Joy becomes anger when M’Lynn insists that having a baby could put Shelby’s life in danger considering her severe diabetes. Shelby does not want to hear the discussion and wants her mother to be happy about having a grandchild.
Months after Jack, Jr. is born, Shelby has her hair cut off by Truvy. Though she is first in tears, Shelby keeps telling everyone her hair will be easier to maintain. It is shortly after M’Lynn comes into the shop when Truvy discovers Shelby’s dialysis marks and it is finally revealed that M’Lynn is giving one of her kidneys to Shelby.
In the next scene, the women mourn over the loss of Shelby. M’Lynn explains that Shelby’s new kidney wasn’t working properly and after another surgery, she lapsed into a coma. “I was there when that wonderful creature drifted into my life and I was there when she drifted out,” M’Lynn softly spoke when reflecting on Shelby’s last moments.
This incredible story of love and friendship is topped off by the wonderful promises we have in Jesus Christ, as Annelle states so often in the script “I worry about your soul”.
According to Drew Baker, “It is our goal at Faces and Places Ministries to minister, as Annelle does, through her relationship with Jesus and ours as well.”
All roles will be cast next week including: M’Lynn, a middle-aged mother of Shelby who is a sweet but firm woman; Shelby who is in her early to late 20s, the innocent but firm daughter of M’Lynn; Clairee in her early to late 60s, a former mayor’s wife and a financially influential woman in the town; Ouiser, 50s or 60s, she’s the towns recluse, a crazy and obnoxious complainer; Truvy, the middle-aged owner of the beauty salon, she has a wild and over the top personality and finally, Annelle, in her early to late 20s, she is an innocent Christian girl who is finding her way in life while trying to help the others find their way as well.
Also, Faces and Places Ministries will once again begin hosting coffeehouses at the new building. The get-togethers will be held the second Friday of each month from 6 to 9 p.m.
The evenings will include creative testimony sharing through Christian bands, speakers, and ministers.
Everyone is invited to come out and enjoy a night of Christian fellowship.
The first coffeehouse was held this past Friday with special guests PreciousDay, a contemporary Christian musical team of the Nagle family of Altoona. Dave Kaup of Tyrone also shared in this time of ministry of music. Barb Servello of Altoona also participated in the event.
The ministry will have food items for sale to help with the cost of the facility. A love offering will be taken for the musical groups performing each coffeehouse night. For more information or to minister at the coffeehouse, contact 814-932-4085.
