The Festival Announces the Cast of Steel Magnolias

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is thrilled to announce the cast of this season’s production of Steel Magnolias in the Randall L. Jones Theatre. Making its debut at the Festival, the play is a story of resilience, friendship, and grief. A tribute to his sister, playwright Robert Harling depicts how connection and humor can get us through the most difficult of times. 

“Ours is a story of sisterhood. Through thick and thin, our magnolias are there for each other, to celebrate each other’s successes and, most importantly, to buoy one another through every grief and heartache,” says Director Melissa Maxwell. “Though there is a lot of wacky humor in this play, what makes it so beloved and why it stands the test of time, is its heart.”

Lead production staff working with Maxwell to design the world of Steel Magnolias in 1980s Chinquapin, Louisiana are: Scenic Designer Jo Winiarski, Costume Designer Lauren Roark, Lighting Designer Jessica Greenberg, Composer/Sound Designer Scott O’Brien, Voice/Speech/Text Coach Gwendolyn Schwinke, Fight/Intimacy Director Jason Spelbring, and Stage Manager Terence Orleans Alexander.  

This production includes both new and returning cast members:

Evelyn Carol Case is returning to the Festival, as Ouiser in Steel Magnolias. Previous roles at the Festival include Verges/Attendant/Candle Bearer in Much Ado About Nothing, Brandon/Patience/Celebrant in Henry VIII, Mrs. Bates/Ensemble in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical, and more. She has appeared onstage with Prague Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare Orange County, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Laguna Playhouse, and ten seasons as a resident artist with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

Olivia D. Dawson is debuting at the Festival, as M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias. She has performed at Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and Indiana Repertory Theatre to name a few. Television credits include Chicago Med, The Resident, Cobra Kai, and more. Dawson’s film credits include Honk for Jesus and teaching credits from UW Madison. She received the 2020 Arts and Social Justice Fellowship and Emory University and was the 2021 Fellow with the Hambidge Center. Dawson has a BA and MFA and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. 

Valerie Martire is returning, as Annelle in Steel Magnolias. Previous roles at the Festival include Margaret in Much Ado About Nothing and Bianca/Player in The Taming of the Shrew. She has been in productions of Mauritius, The Wolves, and Appropriate at Illinois Wesleyan University, where Martire also received a BFA. Awards include Best Actress in an Indie Film (Top Shorts 2023).

Alia Shakira is returning, as Truvy in Steel Magnolias. Previous roles at the Festival include Camae in The Mountaintop and Annie Cannon in Silent Sky. Other credits include those at Horizon Theater, Impact Theater, New Federal Theatre, and more. Television credits include The First Lady, The Come Up, Woke, and the film The Color Purple. Shakira received a BFA in acting from Howard University.

Sarah Shippobotham is returning, as Clairee in Steel Magnolias. Previous roles at the Festival include Williamina Fleming in Silent Sky, Duchess of York in Richard III, and multiple roles in Pericles, to name a few. She recently wrote and performed in the world premiere of her one-woman show Can I Say Yes to That Dress at Salt Lake Acting Company. She has worked as a voice and dialect coach at the Shaw Festival for eighteen years and as a dialect coach at Pioneer Theatre Company. She received her education at the Royal Central School of Music and Drama in London and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, Wales.

Amara Webb is returning to the Festival, as Shelby in Steel Magnolias. Previous roles at the Festival include Miranda in The Tempest, Diana in All’s Well That Ends Well, and more. She has performed at Oregon Cabaret, Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, and Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Webb received a BFA in musical theatre from Webster University.

The 2025 season runs June 16 through October 4. Tickets are on sale now at bard.org or by calling 800-PLAYTIX.