Plot Summary
Set in the fictional northwestern Louisiana parish of Chinquapin, the play opens at Truvy’s in-home beauty parlor where a group of women regularly gather. They discuss Shelby’s upcoming wedding to her fiancé, Jackson. The plot covers events over the next three years relating to Shelby’s Type 1 diabetes, and with how the women cope with their conflicts, while remaining friends: Shelby’s decision to have a child despite jeopardizing her health, Clairee’s friendship with the curmudgeon Ouiser; Annelle’s transformation from a shy, anxious newcomer in town to a good-time girl then repentant revival-tent Christian; and Truvy’s relationships with the men in her family. Although the main storyline involves Shelby, her mother M’Lynn, and Shelby’s medical battles, the group’s underlying friendship is prominent throughout the drama.
Character Descriptions
Truvy: 40-year-old owner of a small town beauty shop. She knows everyone’s business and shares it with anyone who will listen. Southern Belle. She always has advice for you, and they often come in the form of country sayings.
Annelle: very shy twenty-year-old hair-dresser. She goes from a very soft-spoken person to a bible-loving Christian with her heart on her sleeve.
Clairee: 60-year-old widow of the former mayor of Chinquapin. She is wealthy and also knows everyone’s business. She is the sarcastic member of the group. She loves to laugh and poke fun at the little things that others cry over. She is very close with Ouiser.
Shelby: Roughly 25-year-old diabetic young lady. Prettiest girl in town, and loved by all. She has a weird relationship with her mother, and often rebels just for the sake of rebellion.
M’Lynn: 50-year-old mother of Shelby. She is over-protective at times and finds the need to have a firm grasp on the world at all times. She is a busy woman who worries too much for her age.
Ouiser (pronounced Weezer): She is the same age as Clairee. She is a wealthy old biddy. She is a loveably miserable lady, though. Her unique personality and sense of humor is a great relief in the serious scenes. She is very close to Clairee.
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