Haverhill, MA (September 9 2026) — Northern Essex Community College Theater will present Steel Magnolias, the beloved comedy-drama by Robert Harling, this October at the Chester H. Hawrylciw Theater in the Spurk Building on the Haverhill Campus.
Set in a close-knit Louisiana beauty salon, Steel Magnolias follows a circle of Southern women who lean on humor, gossip, and each other through life’s biggest joys and hardest losses. The play’s title captures its heart: characters as delicate as magnolias, yet as resilient as steel.
The production is directed by National Award-Winning Director and NECC Professor Brianne Beatrice, with student Jay Ouellette serving as assistant director. The cast is led by National Award-winning actor Naima Eve as Truvy, alongside Katherine Caulfield, Rachael Knipe, Tawny Marshall, Gianna Proia, and Laurille Wirling, an Excellence in Performance nominee for her portrayal of Harper in NECC Theater’s Angels in America.
For Beatrice, the show’s themes feel especially timely. She didn’t choose the production because of Dolly Parton, who played Truvy in the 1989 film adaptation of the play, but the country icon’s passing last month gave the production a new resonance.
“It’s really poignant, and I think necessary right now in our world, to remember the core value of female camaraderie,” Beatrice said. “Women that lift up other women — that’s really what it’s all about. We all need that reminder that, at the end of the day, we’re here for each other.”
Beatrice describes Steel Magnolias as a timeless, beloved classic, one that balances real grief with genuine laughter. “It’s very funny before it’s heartbreaking and sad,” she said, noting the honesty and warmth between the characters is part of what makes the story endure.
In tribute to Parton, the production will open with a special, surprise pre-show musical performance of celebrated tunes—tying into the show’s broader identity, inspired by Southern women who have shaped culture and history.
“I want this show not just to be about Steel Magnolias, but the steel magnolias — in honor of powerful, iconic [Southern] women,” Beatrice said.
The production follows last season’s Angels in America, NECC Theater’s best-selling show to date.
Performance Schedule:
* Thursday, October 15 at 4:00 p.m.
* Friday, October 16 at 7:00 p.m.
* Saturday, October 17 at 7:00 p.m.
* Sunday, October 18 at 2:00 p.m.
Location: Chester H. Hawrylciw Theater, Spurk Building, NECC Haverhill Campus, 100 Elliott St, Haverhill, MA. Guests are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before curtain.
Tickets: General admission is $25; students and seniors are $10. Tickets are available at the door or in advance via Ticket Leap.
For more information, contact Brianne Beatrice at bbeatrice@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3276.
