Clockwise from top left: Kathy Fitzgerald and the cast of Steel Magnolias, Director Nate Patten, Nancy Opel, Charlotte d'Amboise and Eve O'Brien, Nancy Opel, and Amy Spanger and Sarah Suzuki. Photos by Hannah Walker
(HOLMDEL, NJ) -- Take a peek inside the rehearsal room of Steel Magnolias, opening Friday, July 25 at Bell Theater in Bell Works. Robert Harling's beloved heartwarming comedy gets a cast of Broadway icons, with a host of Broadway credits, Tony Nominations, and Drama Desk Nominations between them. This timeless story of friendship, love, laughter, and family runs though August 10, 2025.
Salon owner Truvy Jones will be played by Amy Spanger, whose Broadway credits include Cats, Kiss Me Kate, the Wedding Singer (Drama Desk nomination), Rock of Ages, Elf: the Musical, Chicago, Sunset Boulevard, Urinetown, and Matilda. Charlotte d'Amboise is M’Lynn Eatenton. In addition to her Tony Award-nominated performances in the 2006 revival of A Chorus Line and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, d’Amboise’s Broadway credits include Cats, Chicago, Company, Contact, Carrie, and Song and Dance. Tony Award nominee Nancy Opel is Clairee Belcher, the mayor’s widow. Opel was nominated for Urinetown: The Musical and has appeared in over two dozen Broadway shows, including Honeymoon in Vegas (Drama Desk nomination), Wicked, Beautiful, Memphis, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George. Kathy Fitzgerald is the curmudgeonly Ouiser Boudreaux. Fitzgerald’s Broadway credits include Swinging on a Star (Drama Desk nomination), The Producers, Wicked, 9 to 5, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Oliver!
Steel Magnolias is directed by Nate Patten. Known as a Broadway music director, Patten was last seen in Monmouth County as the Music Director for the smash hit production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center. Patten directed and co-wrote with Brooke Shields her solo show, Previously Owned by Brooke Shields, and directed Rabbit Hole at the Grunin Center in Toms River last year. As a writer or music director, he has worked with Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Jackie Hoffman, Christian Borle, Jeremy Jordan, and Kristin Chenoweth.
Bell Theater is located at 101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ, inside the iconic Bell Works complex on the lower level, with plenty of free parking. Tickets to Steel Magnolias are $38 to $58 and are available for purchase online or by calling 732-531-9106, ext. 14.
Steel Magnolias is the second production in the Bell Theater 2025 season, which included Hedwig and the Angry Inch starring Remember Jones (June 13-29). Coming up in October is A Night with Janis Joplin (October 3-19), starring Tony nominee Mary Bridget Davies, who originated the role on Broadway.
In addition to their main venue in Ocean Township, the Axelrod Performing Arts Center proudly operates Bell Theater, a new cultural hub located at the historic Bell Works in Holmdel, NJ. Opened in the spring of 2024, Bell Theater is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to providing exceptional cultural programming to the community. Bell Theater offers a platform for emerging artists while showcasing established acts, all within a space designed to create an immersive and accessible experience for all guests.
A professional theater company and arts center, The Axelrod Performing Arts Center this year celebrates its 20th year of bringing theater, music, comedy, and more to the Monmouth County area. In 2025 Axelrod was awarded the Spinnaker Award for Best Nonprofit from the Eastern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, for invaluable contributions made to improving the quality of life for Monmouth County residents.
