Courtesy Photo by Bronwyn Woolman The cast of Alpena Civic Theatre’s “Steel Magnolias” poses at rehearsal. Pictured, from left, are Sara Kwiatek as Ouiser Boudreaux, Jessica Luther as Clairee Belcher, Olivia Martin as Shelby Eatonton-Latcherie, Carol Rundell as M’Lynn Eatonton, Katie Hubbard-Haines as Truvy Jones, and Isabel Luther as Annelle Depuy-DeSoto.

ALPENA — Today is International Women’s Day, during Women’s History Month, and what better way to celebrate than planning a trip to Alpena Civic Theatre to see “Steel Magnolias,” featuring an all-female cast?

The comedy-drama, written by Robert Harling, opens at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and runs through Sunday, then continues March 20 to 23. Directed by Bill Powell and Lucas Moquin, “Steel Magnolias” offers a moving, yet humorous glimpse into the lives and friendships of six women, all based in a 1980s beauty shop in a small Louisiana town.

You may be familiar with the 1989 film of the same name, directed by Herbert Ross, and starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts. Harling’s play came out in 1987, and he also wrote the screenplay for the film version. He played a small role as a minister in the 1989 film.

“This play is about how six women deal with the trials and tribulations that life throws at them,” Moquin said.

The setting is Truvy Jones’ beauty shop, and the play spans a little over two years in the life of these women.

“We pick back up on different events, because the entire play takes place in Truvy’s beauty salon,” Powell said. “We see, over the course of the play, how important this place is to these people. It’s all about them as a group.”

“Steel Magnolias” will likely invoke a wide range of emotions, as there are touching moments, heartbreaking times, as well as a whole lot of laughter.

“It’s wonderful writing,” Powell said of the Harling play. “There are so many laugh lines in this thing. I think it’s just so screamingly funny, so well-written, and it takes a cast, to be able to pull it off, that understands things like comedic timing. And that’s really, largely, why a lot of these folks were cast. That’s what I was looking for — that ability to deliver those lines appropriately, and I think they’ve done that, in spades.”

The ACT cast includes Katie Hubbard-Haines as Truvy Jones, Isabel Luther as Annelle Depuy-DeSoto, Olivia Martin as Shelby Eatonton-Latcherie, Sara Kwiatek as Ouiser Boudreaux, Carol Rundell as M’Lynn Eatonton, and Jessica Luther as Clairee Belcher.

“The actors have done a tremendous job,” Powell said at a recent rehearsal. “They have been working diligently, not only on memorizing the lines, but we have tasked them with the dialect. They have to actually speak as if they’re living in Louisiana.”

Kwiatek is a newcomer to the ACT stage, but she has been doing impressive work as Ouiser Boudreaux, Powell said.

“She did a tremendous job in the audition,” Powell said.

“I’ve always wanted to, and … something just always came up,” Kwiatek said. “So, I did it, and I got the part I was hoping for, which was the cantankerous old biddy. She’s had two bad marriages, ungrateful children, but she’s got a community in these women. They are honest with each other.”

Hubbard-Haines returns to the ACT stage for the second time, after her performance in ACT’s last play, “It’s My Wedding, Dear Grandpa.”

“I’m playing Truvy,” Hubbard-Haines said. “This is her beauty shop. This is her little kingdom, as Bill puts it. This is where it all happens.”

She said her character is a peacemaker and a mediator, but she’s also “an absolute rampant gossip.”

“She just likes to know what’s going on outside of these pink walls,” Hubbard-Haines said.

She’s been having fun playing a new role that’s very different from her own personality. She encourages anyone thinking of trying community theater to “take the dive.”

“Everyone is so supportive,” she said. “Because you’re so vulnerable onstage, everyone else is, too. So you all share in that bond very quickly … Everyone gets the jitters. Just go for it.”

This will be Jessica Luther’s fourth time acting at ACT, but she has been assistant director for several productions.

“I am playing Clairee Belcher,” she said. “She is the former mayor’s wife. She’s a widow. She has grown children, but she’s very involved in her community.”

She said her character is the matriarch of the group.

“It was a movie I grew up on,” Jessica Luther said. “I just absolutely love it. It’s this story of six incredible women who have these friendships. They’re all imperfect people, but they all love each other unconditionally, and stand up for one another, even when they disagree.”

She said the beauty salon setting offers a safe space for women to unwind and open up with one another.

“It’s their little sanctuary where they can go, be themselves. There are no expectations,” Jessica Luther said.

Martin plays Shelby Eatonton-Latcherie. This will be her fourth time onstage at ACT. She has been involved in about 15 productions, including plays at other theaters.

“Shelby is a light that brightens up the room,” said Martin. “She is very fun to be around, and she loves to hang around with the girls in the beauty salon, even though she’s not a regular. She’s the daughter of a regular. She is struggling with some health issues that have a big effect on her life, and that’s a big part of the play.”

She is excited to be involved in this play.

“It’s going to be so fun to watch, just hearing the accents alone,” Martin said. “This show is funny, but it’s also dramatic, and it’s got such tender moments. It’s a show about community, and women coming together.”

Isabel Luther plays Annelle Depuy-DeSoto. She has been involved in at least four ACT plays.

“She’s the eager, new beauty assistant,” she said. “She’s trying to prove herself … She’s trying to find her people, and she really finds them in the salon,” Isabel Luther said.

Isabel Luther has found “her people” at ACT.

“Whenever you have a cast, you become a family, and that’s really nice,” she said.

Rundell is M’Lynn Eatonton, whom she describes as similar to herself. Rundell has acted in, directed, and produced many ACT productions over the years. She said the ones we love often hurt us, but they will be there when we need them most.

“I try and make everybody feel better, and I keep all my feelings inside,” Rundell said. “You have such a broad spectrum of characters, but they’re all the best of friends, and they all have each other’s backs, no matter what.”

Crew members are Stage Manager Dani Ayotte, Assistant Stage Manager Fallon Gandulla-Ghekiere, Producer Carol Rundell, Scenic Designer Grace Morrison, Technical Director Jason Luther, Lighting Designer Jay Kettler, Sound Designer Andrew MacNeill, Scenic Artist Danyeal Dorr, Costumers Mary Ann Crawford, Jackie Herbert, and Marilyn Kettler, Hair Designers Nancy Clark and Shirley Cliburn, Photographer Bronwyn Woolman, and Lights and Sound Operator Bryan Ghekiere.

Powell said many local businesses contributed to the success of bringing the set together.

“This is the definition of serendipity, what is happening on this set, right now,” he said.

He was able to find two 1980s-style salon dryer chairs at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Alpena, as well as a functional hair-washing sink. He coordinated with the Shoreline Players in Oscoda to use furniture and props from their production of the same play, with the condition that ACT must “pay it forward” by passing them along to another theater planning “Steel Magnolias.” Home Depot made a generous donation of reusable wood flooring for ACT. Salon Suzi in Alpena loaned ACT a pedestal chair, manicure station, and hot roller station. Salon 125 in Alpena loaned ACT some products to put on the shelves, and several other props to make the set look like a real salon.

“I’ve been wanting to do this show for three years,” Powell added. “It’s just a thrill to be able to present it here.”

For tickets, call 989-354-3624 or visit the Alpena Civic Theatre Box Office at 401 River St., Alpena.