Renton, WA— Friday night, Renton Civic Theatre opened its production of Steel Magnolias to a warm audience and ended the show with a standing ovation.
Doors opened at 7 p.m., and by the time guests filtered in, the concession line was already moving. A bag of candy, popcorn, and a soda ran $10, a price that felt almost too good to be true in 2026.
The set didn’t waste a moment transporting the audience. White pleather stylist chairs in a pink and turquoise room, a floral-patterned couch, 1980s calendars, and hair posters showcasing the era’s iconic feathered and permed styles filled the stage. It was the kind of detail that earns an involuntary smile from anyone with 80s nostalgia.
Just after 7:40 p.m., the lights dimmed and an old-timey radio voice set the scene, a fitting choice for a story steeped in Southern charm.
The entire cast carried the production with real warmth and skill. The salon banter crackled throughout, a testament to playwright Robert Harling, who famously wrote the script in ten days as a way of processing the death of his sister. Director Karen Kay Cody notes in the playbill that Harling’s love for the women in his life is woven into the play: “His affection for [his sister] and the women that rallied in support of her is a love story that will last forever.”
Lisa Stromme Warren as Truvy arrived in full 1980s glory: draped turquoise, dangling gold jewelry, and hair that polished the period look. Gemma Kealy and Eleanor Withrow, as Shelby and M’Lynn, brought a mother-daughter tension that balanced joy and grief in a way that felt authentically human. Mary Guthrie and Kiki Werner, as Clairee and Ouiser, delivered comedy with precision. Sharp timing, expressive faces, and the kind of ease that makes an audience feel like part of the scene.
By the final act, there were tears in the house, and on the stage. The cast’s emotional investment was unmistakable, and the crowd responded in kind ending the show with a standing ovation.
Steel Magnolias continues at Renton Civic Theatre through Sunday, April 26th. Tickets are available at rentoncivictheatre.org.