Village Players ‘Steel Magnolias' Benefits Family Promise of Northern Kentucky May 2-10, 2014

CINCINNATI - March 5, 2014 - PRLog -- The Village Players will present ‘Steel Magnolias' written by Robert Harling, and directed by Amy Hamilton, May 2-10, 2014 at the Village Players Theater in Fort Thomas, KY. All profits from this annual Village Players spring charity fundraiser will be donated to Family Promise of Northern Kentucky (formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network). "We look forward to entertaining you and sharing this wonderful, emotional story with you while we also help our neighbors in need," said producer Valeria Amburgey.

Six performances of Steel Magnolias will be presented May 2-10, 2014 at the Village Players Theater, 8 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas, KY 41075.  All tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door or in advance by calling (859) 392-0500. Performance dates and times are May 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 at 8:00 PM and May 4 at 3:00 PM. For more details, visit www.villageplayers.biz orwww.villageplayers.biz/steelmagnolias.aspx

At Truvy's beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, all the ladies who are "anybody" come to have their hair done. Helped by her new assistant, Annelle (who's not sure whether she's still married), the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town's rich curmudgeon, Ouiser; an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local matron of society M'Lynn, whose daughter, Shelby (the prettiest girl in town), is about to marry a "good ole boy." Filled with hilarious repartee, the play moves toward tragedy when Shelby (a diabetic) risks pregnancy and forfeits her life. The sudden realization of their mortality affects the others, but also draws on their underlying strength—and love.  The Steel Magnolias are truly special ladies, funny and marvelously amiable company in good times and in bad.

Directed by Amy Hamilton and produced by Valeria Amburgey, Steel Magnolias  features the acting talents of Victoria Covarrubias (Cincinnati) as Truvy Jones; Kimberly Boyle (Union) as Annelle Dupuy-Desoto; Teresa Myers (Fort Thomas) as Clairee Belcher; Elizabeth Hall (Fort Thomas) as Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie; Anne-Marie Ireland (Loveland) as M'Lynn Eatenton; Angela Klocke Forbes (Fort Thomas) as Ouiser Boudreaux. The stage manager is Rachel Hawkins. For more information about Steel Magnolias or Village Players, contact Phil Paradis at 859-653-6344.

Steel Magnolias met with immediate critical and popular acceptance in its premier production by New York's WPA Theatre. Concerned with a group of gossipy southern ladies in a small-town beauty parlor, the play is alternately hilarious and touching—and, in the end, deeply revealing of the strength and purposefulness which underlies the antic banter of its characters. "Harling has given his women sharp, funny dialogue…The play builds to a conclusion that is deeply moving." —NY Daily News. "…a skillfully crafted, lovingly evoked picture of eccentricity in the small-town South…Robert Harling is a new voice in the theatre and the qualities of STEEL MAGNOLIAS suggest he may be an important one." —Drama-Logue.

Family Promise is a nonprofit and faith-based collaborative that empowers Northern Kentucky children and their families experiencing temporary homelessness to attain sustainable independence. Our networks of congregations and volunteers meet homeless families' immediate needs for shelter, meals, and comprehensive support services. To prevent homelessness, we train volunteers to help at-risk families achieve goals and maintain self-sufficiency. To learn more, visit the Family Promise website at www.familypromise.org

For over forty-five years, The Village Players have been entertaining audiences in Northern Kentucky with award-winning productions of modern and contemporary comedies and dramas.  The award-winning community theater group began producing plays in 1967 under the auspices of the Fort Thomas Woman's Club. Village Players presents three regular season shows yearly, plus a children's show, with the proceeds of its spring production traditionally donated to a Northern Kentucky charitable organization.