01 Jun 2026 The Rep’s 2026 ‘Golden’ SummerStage season launches with Steel Magnolias
Steel Magnolias, written by Robert Harlin is the first production in The Rep’s 2026 ‘Golden’ SummerStage season. The production will through JUNE 7.
Performances will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:00 p.m.; Friday at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdaysat 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundaysat 3:00 p.m. Tickets are available at TheRep.org or by calling The Rep’s Box Office at (501) 378-0405.
Ticket prices range from $25-$70, with discounts available for seniors, students, educators, and active military personnel.
ABOUT THE PLAY:
Truvy Jones runs a successful beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies in the neighborhood have a standing Saturday appointment. Along with her anxious and eager assistant, Annelle, Truvy styles the hair of many of the women about town: wealthy widow and former first lady of Chinquapin, Clairee Belcher, local curmudgeon Ouiser Boudreaux (“I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a bad mood for forty years”), intelligent and compassionate career woman M’Lynn, and her daughter Shelby, the prettiest girl in town.
Shelby’s engagement is the talk of the town, but the joy and excitement of her wedding quickly turn to concern as she faces a risky pregnancy and a myriad of health complications. As the women of Chinquapin make their ways over life’s many hurdles together, they find comfort (and a fair amount of verbal ribbing) in one another. “You have no idea how wonderful you are,” M’Lynn tells the ladies at the end of the play. Truvy responds, with a smile, “Of course we do.”
First produced Off-Broadway in 1987, Steel Magnolias quickly became one of the most beloved plays in the American theatre canon. Written by Robert Harling as a tribute to his sister, Susan Harling Robinson, the play was inspired by his family’s experience following Susan’s battle with complications related to Type 1 diabetes.
In 1989, Harling adapted the play into the acclaimed feature film starring Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, and Daryl Hannah. Filmed on location in Harling’s hometown of Natchitoches, Louisiana, the movie introduced the story to millions and
cemented Steel Magnolias as a cultural touchstone.
Nearly four decades after its premiere, Steel Magnolias continues to captivate audiences around the world with its unique blend of laughter and tears, proving that strength and tenderness are not opposites, but two sides of the same magnolia blossom.
Harling completed the first draft in just ten days, channeling his grief into a story that celebrates his sister’s wit, courage, and indomitable spirit. The result is a deeply personal and universally resonant portrait of women whose relationships sustain them through life’s most joyful and heartbreaking moments.
2026 SummerStage Season
Steel Magnolias | May 26 – June 7
Ain’t Misbehavin’| June 16-28
Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat| July 8-26
The Remarkable Resignation of Dr. Joycelyn Elders | August 11-23
Side by Side by Sondheim | September 8-20
