RuBarb Productions' Steel Magnolias is set to take the stage at the Mae Wilson Theater, with multiple shows to run until the end of the month.
 
The multi-generational story, which is set around the deep friendship among the main characters, explores relationships through humor.
 
Two of the cast members were in to tell us about the show.
 
Stephanie Pitsiladis who plays Truvy, explained the storyline,  "(It's) a story about friendship...of course there's going to be a lot of laughing, a lot of fun laughs.  These women have known each other for a long time, and of course they share each others trials and tribulations so they're there for one another."
 
Kaitlyn Semple, who plays Shelby in the show, added, "It really is a beautiful, touching, heartwarming story that gets a bit deep but really leaves you happy and uplifted, and really believing in the power of friendship, and she added,"women talking about men, women talking about women, women making jokes and there are some hilarious jokes, it's great."
 
"And you may hear a gun shot or two, but don't worry.  It's all in good fun."  Stephanie said.
 
If you are familiar with the story, then you also know it also involves the topic of grief.
 
Stephanie said that despite the darker content, it really does come back around with the humor, "Even though it deals with loss, I mean we all deal with loss differently. So some of the characters, their way to deal with it is to be funny and to be comedic. So although we sometimes go there we always lift it back up because that's how it is, everyone deals with it differently."
 
"It deals with it in a really beautiful and honest way, and I think it is a bit cathartic in that way, to talk about that," said Kaitlyn.
 
The heartwarming original play was rewritten for the big screen in the 80s, and if you remember the movie, there will be a big difference.
 
"This version is just the women on-stage, so we talk about the men.  So actually the movie, he (Robert Harling) re-wrote the play for the screenplay and added male characters...it really centers around the six women in the show."
 
RuBarb Productions' Steel Magnolias will have matinee shows April 22, 26, 29, and 30 at 2pm.
 
Evening shows at 7:30 on April 21, 22, and then nightly from the 25th to the 29th.
 
Tickets are available online here, or in person at the RuBarb office.