Steel Magnolias presented by The Story Collective

Directed by Suann Pollack

January 12 - 14, 2024

Mason Community Playhouse

The Story Collective Presents

Written by Robert Harling Directed by Suann Pollack January 12 - 14, 2024 at

Mason Community Playhouse Starring: Marianne Adae • Dee Anne Bryll • Karly Danos • Susan Jung • Jocelyn Sluka • Kayla Stroud Stage Manager Katie Ruwe

Technical Director Jim Jung

Originally produced by the W.P.A. Theatre, New York City, 1987.

(Kyle Renick, Artistic Director) STEEL MAGNOLIAS is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)

Director’s Note Like many people I came to STEEL MAGNOLIAS through the iconic 1989 movie without even realizing it had been a stage production two years prior. I loved the movie so much that I was hesitant to read the play. What more would I learn about it from reading the play? I was thrilled to find a play that focuses on smart, fully developed women characters and gives each and every one of them a journey to go through. A story that is their own.

In working on it with this wonderful group of women, it also opened my eyes to the old saying that there are families we are born with and families we choose. Being closer to Clairee and Ousier’s age, I can look back and see all my families. The laughter and fights with my own mother and sister. The tears I shared with my female friends in the good times and the bad.

I can point to all these characters in my own life and point to who I am as well. Our strengths, vulnerabilities, and our longing to impart with each other our stories make us who we are. To celebrate that with these talented women (and our SM, Katie) is a joy and one I know I’ll value for a long time.

Suann Pollack Director Steel Magnolias

Cast TRUVY……………………………………………………………………………….……………….Karly Danos ANNELLE…………………………………………………………………………………..Marianne Adae CLAIREE………………………………………………………………………….……….. Dee Anne Bryll OUISER………………………………………………………………………………….…….. Jocelyn Sluka SHELBY……………………………………………………………………………………………Kayla Stroud M’LYNN…………………………………………………………………………………..………….Susan Jung RADIO DJ………………………………………………………………………………………….Jonah Adae

Creative Team Director……………………………………………………………………………..…..…....Suann Pollack Set Designer and Technical Advisor……………..…………………..……… Jim Jung Stage Manager……………………...……………………………………………….………Katie Ruwe Assistant Stage Manager………………………………………………..…………..Tony Mann Running Crew…………………………………………………….…………………Topher Slemons Costume and Props Mistress……………………………………..Christine Hansford Program Designer…..…...……….……..……………………………………………..…..….Will Ellis Ticketing Manager…………………………………………………………….………Justin Hanks

The Story Collective

Artistic Director……………………………………….………..……………………….…..Susan Jung Managing Director……………………..……………….….……………………………Gabe Hoyer Development Director…………………..………………..……………...………………...Will Ellis Systems Director…………………………………….………..………………………..Justin Hanks Communications Director…………….…..………………………….Jenna Schroeder Board Members….………………………..………………..…..Julie Carnes, Jane Garee, Molly Milligan, Ben Stevens

Who’s Who Marianne Adae (Annelle Dupuy-Desoto) Marianne Adae is delighted and grateful to join this stage with a team of such inspiring women! She recently wrapped up Queen City Vaudevillians' 2023 season as their lovable comedienne. She was also seen in Variety (Lindsey) and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive).

This year, Marianne will be seen in Southern Friend Nuptials (Harlene), Loveland Stage Company's Crushin' It! and more!

Dee Anne Bryll (Clairee Belcher) Dee Anne is very pleased to be on stage for The Story Collective. As an actress, she has appeared in such roles as Sunny (The Exonerated) Emily (Love/Sick), Elizabeth (Good Boys & True), Frances (Slasher), Betty (The Foreigner), Other Women (Later Life), Bea (Ballroom), Louise (Always Patsy Cline), Mickey (The Odd Couple), and Dixie (Hollywood Arms). Dee Anne works as a director/choreographer in the area. Credits include Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Kings Island Productions, CCM, The Carnegie, Cincinnati Landmark Productions and Xavier University. She and her husband, Edward Cohen, were awarded the 2010 Acclaim Trailblazer Award for contributions to Cincinnati theatre. In January 2015, she was awarded the 2015 Freddie G Broadway Junior Spirit Award presented and sponsored by Freddie Gershon (CEO of Music Theatre International) and his wife Myrna. Dee Anne holds faculty position at Northern Kentucky University, is director of CCM’s High School Musical Theatre Summer Intensive, and serves as a mentor for Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s JumpStart Theatre program, which brings musical theatre to under-served area middle schools. Many thanks to Suann, Katie, Susan, and an amazing cast for the opportunity. As always, love to Ed, Dan, Sarah, Briana, Lane, and Coen!

Karly Danos (Truvy Jones) Karly Danos is thrilled to be returning to the stage for The Story Collective to reprise one of her all time favorite roles! As a New Orleans native, Karly is honored to be a part of bringing these iconic women to life, in honor of the Steel Magnolias in her own. Karly graduated from Miami University with a BA in Theatre and has been performing for over 15 years. You may have recently seen her as Ariel, in The Little Mermaid, and Miss Honey in Matilda (East Side Players), or in the various events with TSC. Off stage, Karly attained her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and works full-time as a residential therapist.

She is passionate about the arts ability to heal and make meaning, after all “laughter

through tears is my favorite emotion!” Karly would like to thank her friends, family, work family, and especially her fiancé, Alec for his dedication and love throughout it all! She would also like to thank TSC and this beautiful cast and crew for the sacred community of women created through this process. Finally, dear Em, this one is for you. All my love and enjoy the show!

Susan Jung (M’Lynn Eatenton) Susan is the Artistic Director of The Story Collective, Regional Manager for Murder and Merriment and Director, Choreographer, and Improv Director for the award-winning Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Theatre Department. With over 20 years in the business, she has directed over 70 full length productions, taught musical theater dance, and acting for CCM prep, led/taught over 40 musical theater camps, and taught acting, musical theatre, and dance at the Tony award winning Playhouse in the Park. Susan was one of the stage directors for the Christmas show “Awaited.” She is also a mentor for the Jumpstart Theatre Program (pioneered in Cincinnati) through EDTA where she works with underserved middle school educators to help them start and maintain a theatre program. She has won a Theatre Educator Acclaim Award and was an Overture Finalist for Theatre Education as well as several local acting and choreography awards. As a playwright, several of her original plays have been produced in Cincinnati, Arizona, and Utah. Susan’s professional acting career includes the film Between Mercy and Me, regional and national commercials, print ads, and voice-overs, performing nationally and internationally with Friends of the Groom and regionally with Murder and Merriment.

With TSC, Susan has directed and performed, her favorite onstage roles include Annie in The Play that Goes Wrong (directed by Mark Femia) and Abby in The Musical of Musicals the Musical (directed by Ed Cohen). Susan has also performed with local theatres, Falcon Theatre (Emily Penrose in Lifespan of a Fact, TCTC (Abigail Williams in The Crucible) and WFIT (Mrs. Bradman in Blithe Spirit) and holds a B.A. in theatre from Northern Kentucky University. She would like to thank Suann, Katie, the extraordinary women of this cast, TSC supporters and artists, and her amazing family for their unending support. I know I’m lucky to have what I have.

Jocelyn Sluka (Ouiser Bourdeaux) Jocelyn is thrilled to be performing once again with The Story Collective. She played Evelyn in Variety, Mombi in The Orphan of Oz, and is a member of their improv team Collective Effort. She is also a principal actress and Managing Director for Friends of the Groom Theater Company based in Cincinnati, Ohio. In her over thirty five years as a professional actor and singer, she has worked with a variety of regional and educational theaters, and in touring productions for US troops stationed in Germany, as well as performing with Improv Cincinnati. As an educator, she has taught throughout the U.S.

as well as in Greece, Uganda, England, Israel, Jordan and China. She has a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Kentucky, and is a member of SAG/AFTRA doing commercial work, films and voiceovers.

Kayla Stroud (Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie) Kayla has felt so blessed by the opportunity to partner with such fabulous women to put on Steel Magnolias. She has a BA in Theatre and Mathematics from The University of Kentucky and was last seen as Sandra in The Play That Goes Wrong with The Story Collective. Other credits include Little Women (Jo) with La Comedia Dinner Theatre, Descendents (Audrey) with The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, The Musical of Musicals: the Musical (June) with The Story Collective, Elf the Musical (Jovie) with Cincinnati Landmark Productions, and Cabaret (Sally Bowles) with UK. When not performing, Kayla enjoys traveling, writing, and spending time with her people! She'd like to thank her director and cast for this beautiful experience, her family for their endless support, and God for all His blessings!

Suann Pollack (Director) Suann Pollock is thrilled to be making her debut with The Story Collective. Her directing credits include productions at Xavier University: The Sound of Music and Doll’s House, Part 2. Miami University: Bat Boy, The Musical; Pride and Prejudice; Rent; Urinetown and Seussical, The Musical. Other selected credits include Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse and The Phantom Tollbooth for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s OutReach Touring Company; Company, A Day In Hollywood, A Night in the Ukraine at Grand Rapids Circle Theatre; Camelot at Bucks County Playhouse; The Nerd at the New Vic Theatre and premiere of An Awkward Form of Prostitution for Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati’s Young Playwright Festival. Suann’s day job is being the Associate Producer at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Many thanks to Susan Jung for this wonderful opportunity and to my patient husband who gets to enjoy the ride.

Katie Ruwe (Stage Manager) Katie Ruwe is pleased to be joining this production of Steel Magnolias as this is her first show with The Story Collective. Born and raised in Cincinnati and a graduate of NKU, she has worked throughout the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region. At The Falcon Theatre, she has managed Lifespan of a Fact, Silent Sky, Ben Butler, The Agitators, and Yankee Tavern. She has also stage managed with Queen City Opera on productions of Cenerentola, Iolanta, Der Freischütz, Die Valkyrie, and the world premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Undina Eco-Opera. She has also managed Spinning Into Butter with American Legacy Theater, 100 Days with the KNOW Theater of Cincinnati, as well as

several Fringe Festival shows with many different and wonderful creative minds. She would like to thank her partner for his outstanding support, Susan Jung for bringing her on to this fabulous production, and the wonderful sisterhood that is the cast! She sincerely hopes you enjoy this show as much as she has enjoyed working on it!

Jim Jung (Set Designer and Technical Advisor) Jim is a native of Cincinnati, and earned his BFA in Musical Theatre Performance from NKU. He is a member of Friends of the Groom Theater Company, and has been for over 20 years. As such, Jim has performed professionally in many parts of the US. While his training was aimed at work onstage, Jim quickly found his way into backstage work, as well. Jim has over 70 show credits as a Set Designer, Lighting Designer, and Technical Director for Asbury College, Friends of the Groom, the Wyoming Fine Arts Center, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, and most recently The Story Collective. In all of this, though, Jim's favorite thing to do is teach and build into young people.

Community Engagement through Artistic Excellence Our Mission: The Story Collective of Cincinnati is an artist-driven professional and authentic company committed to sharing stories and opportunities that connect performers and the surrounding community to meaningful human experiences.

Our Vision: We strive to blend artistic excellence and fiscal responsibility in creating experiences which honor the past, celebrate the present, and imagine the future.

Special Thanks to: McSwain Carpets and Flooring Pool Leak Pro Mason Community Playhouse Brendon and Christine Hansford Kathy Walker TSC Volunteers Cincinnati Sports Club Northminster Church CHCA Mariemont Theatre Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Julia Guichard Jill Anderson of Posh Hair Design Jennifer Bomkamp of Posh Hair Design Collin Jung Our Donors!