​​AUDITION DATES

• Monday, June 15th - 6:30 PM

• Tuesday, June 16th - 6:30 PM

• Wednesday, June 17th - 6:30 PM

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CALLBACKS

• Wednesday, June 17th - 6:30 PM​

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TECH WEEK DATES

• Sept 1st- Sept 10

 

PERFORMANCE DATES

• Friday, September 11th - 7:30 PM

• September 12th - 2:00 PM (TBD 7:30 PM)

• September 13th - 2:00 PM

• September 17th - 7:30 PM

• September 18th - 7:30 PM

• September 19th - 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

• September 20th - 2:00 PM

• September 25th - 7:30 PM

• September 26th - 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

• September 27th - 2:00 PM

 

ELIGIBILITY

Roles are open to age 18-80.
Please be aware the production of Steel Magnolias involves situations such as illness and death.

 

SYNOPSIS

Truvy Jones runs a successful beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies in the neighborhood have a standing Saturday appointment. Along with her anxious and eager assistant, Annelle, Truvy styles the hair of many of the women about town: wealthy widow and former first lady of Chinquapin, Clairee Belcher; local curmudgeon Ouiser Boudreaux ("I'm not crazy, I've just been in a bad mood for forty years”); intelligent and compassionate career woman M’Lynn; her daughter Shelby, the prettiest girl in town.

 

Shelby’s engagement is the talk of the town, but the joy and excitement of her wedding quickly turn to concern as she faces a risky pregnancy and a myriad of health complications. Eventually, when Shelby dies from complications related to her diabetes, M’Lynn has to deal with the most difficult of life’s challenges: the loss of one’s only child.

 

As the women of Chinquapin makes their ways over life’s many hurdles together, they find comfort (and a fair amount of verbal ribbing) in one another. “You have no idea how wonderful you are,” M’Lynn tells the ladies at the end of the play. Truvy responds, with a smile, “Of course we do.”

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AUDITION REQUIREMENTS​

Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. No need to prepare anything.

 

VIDEO SUBMISSIONS

If you are unable to attend auditions in person, please send an audition self-tape with two 1 minute contrasting monologues. Be sure and slate including your name and role auditioning for.

 

Email to: lisa@verobeachtheatreguild.com and nancymaticanbock@gmail.com

Deadline: June 14th by 9 PM

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CHARACTER BREAKDOWN​​

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Truvy Jones

In her 40s, owns the best local beauty salon in Chinquapin, which she runs by the truism: “There is no such thing as natural beauty.” She is a consummate gossip who seems to know everyone (and everyone’s business) in town. While she’s got a healthy dose of sass and a quick sense of humor, Truvy also has a soft spot for her friends, both old and new. Truvy loves romance, reading magazines like Glamour and Reader’s Digest, and has lived in Chinquapin her whole life. Truvy’s husband doesn’t work and watches television all day. They have twin sons,  Poot and Louie, who are about to head to college when the play begins. She takes Annelle under her wing, even giving her a place to live above her garage and, with her husband, building Annelle a workroom for her crafts.

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Annelle

Originally from Zwolle, another Louisiana town, Annelle, 19, has only been in Chinquapin for about a month. At the beginning of the play, she is living at Ruth Robeline’s Boarding House, after her husband, Bunkie Dupuy, runs off with their car, money, and all of Annelle’s jewelry and clothing. The police have questioned Annelle, informing her that Bunkie was involved in drugs. While she begins the play nervous and at the end of her rope, Annelle quickly finds a place for herself in the group of ladies and becomes a “semi-daughter” to Truvy. Annelle also finds religion, becoming a “bible-thumping” Baptist who “prays at the drop of a hat.” By the end of the play, Annelle has married Sammy Desoto, whom she met at Shelby’s wedding, and is pregnant with their child.

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Shelby Eatenton

25, the prettiest girl in Chinquapin Parish, and is beloved by all in town. She is engaged to Jackson Latcherie, a lawyer in the town of Monroe. At the top of the play, Shelby is preparing for her wedding day, which she has organized impeccably, draping everything in her favorite color, pink. Although Shelby is snappy with her mother, M’Lynn, she is selfless and loving, offering support and affection to all the women. Shelby suffers from Type-1 diabetes, so she occasionally has episodes of low blood sugar where her energy flags and she blacks out. Shelby’s body has been through a lot, and though her doctor and her mother think it’s not safe, Shelby becomes pregnant. She gives birth to a son, Jackson Latcherie Jr, 3 months early, but he survives and grows to be a little ball of energy. Shelby’s relationship with her mother softens after her mother volunteers to give Shelby her kidney. When Shelby passes away after the failure of her transplant and an issue with her dialysis, all the women are heartbroken. Shelby is the daughter of M’Lynn and Drum Eatenton, and the sister to Tommy and Jonathan.

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M’Lynn

A prominent career woman in her 50s, but a huge amount of her energy is spent on her ill daughter, Shelby. M’Lynn works at the Mental Guidance Center, and even when she’s in the center of the town’s gossip circle (Truvy’s beauty shop), she respects her patients’ right to privacy and is, as Shelby calls it, “a brick wall.” In addition to having a progressive career, M’Lynn is on the forefront of the Chinquapin social scene, hosting an annual Christmas Festival open house, among other things. While her husband, Drum, can be a bit of a gun-wielding nut, she finds romance again with him as Shelby’s health fails. M’Lynn loves her daughter, and is heartbroken when Shelby dies, however she recognizes that “I was there when this wonderful person drifted into my world and I was there when she drifted out. It was the most precious moment of my life thus far.” M’Lynn is married to Drum, and the mother to Shelby, Tommy, and Jonathan.

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Ouiser

66ish, lives next door to M’Lynn, and shares ownership over a large magnolia tree, much to her dismay. Ouiser is known around town as a bit of a curmudgeon, but the women in the beauty shop find her loveable nonetheless. Ouiser has a Collie, Rhett, a dog whom she loves more than any person on earth, even when he loses his hair due to “a condition.” She takes great pride in her garden, growing tomatoes that she refuses to eat, and is meticulous about her home’s upkeep (“Keep off the grass signs are not Christmas decorations, Ouiser.”) Ouiser and Clairee have a history, and rib each other without shame. Ouiser also teases Annelle over her religion, but both have a deep affection for one another. Ouiser is twice divorced, and has three grown children.

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Clairee

The widow of Chinquapin’s former mayor, Lloyd Belcher, who passed away six months before the play begins. Clairee is around 66 years old:  a woman-about-town with a real soft spot for the high school football team, the Devils, from whom she has been given numerous honorary awards. Clairee is also dedicated to “broadening [her] horizons,” attending plays in nearby Monroe, and eventually purchasing and running KPPD, the local radio station. Still heartbroken over her husband’s death, Clairee states at the beginning of the play: “It’s not easy being just one.” However, she  is indefatigable and smart, and always eager to pitch in and help, especially when she can help tease Ouiser (who was her maid of honor). Clairee’s brother, Drew, is married to Belle Marmillion (heir to Marmillion Mills). They have two children (Clairee’s niece and nephew): Marshall, who is gay and owns a series of sportswear stores in California, and Nancy Beth, who was crowned Miss Merry Christmas until she was dethroned due to an affair with a local politician.

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INCLUSIVITY & ACCESSIBILITY
Vero Beach Theatre Guild is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive space for all artists. We encourage performers of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, body types, abilities, and backgrounds to audition. If you require any accommodations to make your audition process more accessible—such as wheelchair access, additional time, a reader, or alternative formats—please let us know. We are happy to work with you to ensure you can share your talents in a supportive environment.