Washington Post - Somewhat Recommended
"...The limpness of her M’Lynn further saps the vigor of scenes that seem desultory to begin with. A relaxed vibe may be the default setting for many beauty salons, but we need to believe that Truvy’s establishment is the emotional nerve center of Chinquapin Parish, and that — even when chitchat and bickering dominate the conversation — the play’s characters are acutely engaged with, and devoted to, one another. In this production of “Steel Magnolias,” the qualities of urgency and intensity have been given too much of a comb-out."
Washington Examiner - Recommended
"..."Steel Magnolias" by Robert Harling exists in that narrow corridor between sentiment and sentimentality. When not carefully directed and acted, it offers opportunities for maudlin comments on the unfairness of life. But in a solid production, like the Keegan Theatre's current offering, honest feeling prevails over bathos and banality."
DCist - Recommended
"...In Keegan's production, M'Lynn and Shelby are played by real-life mother and daughter Sheri S. and Laura Herren. The younger Herren's Shelby is pitch-perfect, simultaneously fragile and strong, confidently standing up to her mother and to her lot in life. The chemistry between them is clear; when Shelby asks for her mother to trust her, it feels like you walked into the wrong room at a family party. Sheri Herren's M'Lynn is a bit too cold and coolheaded, but it makes her eventual breakdown compelling. The rest of the cast is spot-on, with Linda High's portrayal of Ouiser -- a crabby eccentric with words for any occasion -- a highlight. High's Ouiser swears, pontificates, and even declares she "doesn't see plays because I can nap at home for free." The audience laughs, because there is no way to fall asleep with her and the other women on stage so clearly inhabiting their characters."
MetroWeekly - Somewhat Recommended
"...Director Mark Rhea plays up long, knowing glances between Shelby and M'Lynn, which doesn't do Sheri Herren any favors. She's stays on a strangely subdued plane throughout the play, perhaps to contrast with her emotional explosion in the last scene, after Shelby's death."
Washington City Paper - Recommended
"...Though written by a man—reportedly to channel his grief over his sister’s death—and directed for the Keegan Theatre by Producing Artistic Director Mark A. Rhea, who’s also in fact a man, the play, too, is women’s territory, in a reductive way that some women, including one or two to whom I mentioned I’d be seeing it, find off-putting. (Hey, I wouldn’t like the suggestion that men are fairly represented by the guys in Glengarry Glen Ross, either.) These half-dozen magnolias hang out in a beauty parlor, getting their hair and nails did, gossiping, complaining about the men who either ignore them or have died on them or whom they’re about to marry."
Washingtonian - Somewhat Recommended
"...Gallagher, a native Australian, also falls short of what we expect the forceful, kindhearted Truvy to be—she’s not so much pneumatic as phlegmatic. So it falls to the supporting cast members to make up the extra energy required, which for the most part, they do. Brianna Letourneau is a surprisingly memorable Annelle, whether shyly confessing her marital secrets or ostentatiously breaking into prayer. Petkofsky is believable and engaging as Clairee, although she flubs her lines on more than one occasion. The real star of the show is Linda High as Ouiser: a brash, loud, outspoken force who rejects all social conventions. “I don’t see plays cause I can take a nap for free,” she tells the others in one of her snappier lines."
Washington Blade - Somewhat Recommended
"...There are some problems: The cast’s Louisiana accents are all over the place and the pacing of the show is inexplicably uneven. And while some of the actors have chosen to underplay their parts, others are going at it full throttle. Admirably, some of the cast are struggling to portray real characters and not simply caricatures, but given the material it’s not easy."
MD Theatre Guide - Highly Recommended
"...Mark A. Rhea’s direction is superb! The first act works to slowly build relationships, making you care about the characters that you are watching. This way, when the tragedy of the second act hits, you experience real emotion. Not only do you feel sadness, but also a bittersweet happiness as you watch these strong women find glimmers of hope and humor through their friendships."
DCTheatreScene - Recommended
Even if you know the story, saw the movie or an earlier production of Steel Magnolias, this iteration warrants a return visit, because it’s likely you haven’t seen an actual mother and daughter in the roles. The casting adds a special charm and poignancy to the script, and it doesn’t hurt that both actresses are particularly good in their portrayals.
