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Emma noticed something had changed, something was not right.

She whispered to me, “Did she? Did she?”

I nodded my head and turned my focus back to the stage where emotions were rising.  I heard Emma gulp and felt her energy begin to change.

She started to cry. Not quiet, all to her self crying, but weeping crying. It was crying that both the audience members and the actors could tune into – an emotional homing device of sorts.

I watched as the women on stage breathed in Emma’s tears and mingled them with their own.  I felt my own heart begin to tug and my own tears begin to flow. I found myself leaping into M’Lynn’s position as Kimber Peaker-Lozano brought the quintessential loving mother to life on stage.

I witnessed Annelle (Chelsea Brewer) apologize the best she could and I leaped into her heart and felt her shame and sadness erupt in me.

I held onto my heart as I saw Truvy (Althea Williams) make it right, knowing nothing would be right again.

I laughed within my tears as I saw Clairee (Annette Bridgeman) use Ouiser (Jan Hefner) as a diversion, so that our tears would be silenced and we would remember to laugh even for just a moment.

And then we all cried some more.

We didn’t see Shelby (Amy Hall) on stage again until curtain call.

I was reminded of one of the reasons live theatre is so sacred. The audience and the actors literally blend their heart, their breath, their souls – and the result is literally life changing.

Emma will remember this production forever. I can hear her future voice saying “Remember when we saw Steel Magnolias and I couldn’t stop crying?”

We walked backstage after the show – to that precious inner sanctum – to congratulate the cast and crew.  We not only have the privilege of being audience members, we are also friends of the artists on-stage and backstage.

I poked my head in one dressing room and I heard Chelsea saying something like, “yeah, well in ‘Five Women’ every night there was a place where at least three of us were supposed to be crying and every night, on cue, there would be….oh, Julie! I was just telling how you would… Emma… Emma…. You were amazing…” and one by one Emma received hugs and admiration from the artists.

“We want you in our audience every night, Emma.” 

“Why, because I was crying?” and as she said it she started crying again. “I couldn’t help it.. I mean… she… she… she….”

I looked over at Annette, who I shared the stage with in Les Femmes Artistes at Spotlight Theatre in March, 2006.  I said, “The emotions… oh, the emotions… were incredible.”  The smile I felt in our eye contact is one I will treasure forever, that “I see your soul and I know it” eye contact.

Sheila McClure worked magic to bring forth this incredible work of art. Her team, including Jeremiah Lowry and Michelle Weingarden, Carla Stanley, Kathy Koslowski and Vicki Jameson, all deserve kudos.

They created soulfulness each audience member could breathe into and connect with their whole heart, their whole mind, their entire experience.

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Steel Magnolias plays at Bakersfield Community Theatre Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM from February 16 through March 3.  Sunday matinees at 2 PM. BCT is located at 2400 South Chester, just north of Wilson Rd.

Tickets are $10/$8 for Seniors, Students and Active Military