As part of its Centenary year celebrations, Penarth Operatic & Dramatic Society (PODS) will be presenting Robert Harding's beloved play, Steel Magnolias, the hilarious and heart-warming true story that inspired the hit 1989 film, at the Paget Rooms in October.

The film starred Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts. The film won the Favourite Dramatic Motion Picture award at the 1990 People's Choice Awards and Julia Roberts won Best Supporting Actress award at the 1989 Golden Globes.

Steel Magnolias beautifully tells the story of how six women share their life experiences, gaining strength and courage from their friends and family, proving that female friendship conquers all.

Truvy owns the salon where the women congregate to get their hair and beauty done. M'Lynn's daughter, Shelby, is engaged to the town hunk and is a figure of envy. Annelle is a young woman on a journey to discover herself. Ouiser is wealthy and bitter, and Clairee is important and wealthy. Faced with the highs and lows of love and life, and amongst the chaos of work, marriage and children, they unite to gossip, unwind and set the world to rights.

PODS was formed in 1924 following an article in the Penarth Times written by a newly arrived journalist, Ernest Barwell, expressing surprise that the town didn't have an amateur operatic society. The response must have been immediate because three weeks later he wrote another piece, announcing the formation of the Penarth Operatic Society. For the next few years, the Society performed light operettas which were wholeheartedly supported by the local community.

The Society's first play was A Little Bit of Fluff, a mildly risqué farce by Walter Ellis which was staged at the St Augustine's Institute on Albert Road for three nights in April 1929. The play marked the transition of the company to Penarth Operatic & Dramatic Society and they have produced several plays each year since then.

Steel Magnolias is being directed by long-term PODS member, Sally Mathias who also directed the company's award-winning production of Ladies' Day last year. "When the PODS Committee asked me to direct a play for the Centenary year I was absolutely thrilled, and also very honoured. Every play is obviously important, but I knew that this one needed to be something extra special to mark such a momentous occasion", said Sally.

"Over several months I read numerous plays and even though there were some great works, nothing felt quite right. And then I read Steel Magnolias. The story leapt off the page and the characters and their relationships were just so amazing and beautiful. I laughed and cried, and I knew that we had found the perfect play."

"The cast are without doubt brilliant in every way, and we are having such an incredible journey taking Robert Harling's moving tribute to his late sister from the pages of the script onto the stage. I hope that the original members of PODS drama section who performed A Little Bit of Fluff back in 1929 would be proud of how the company has built on their original success with the plays that we are performing today," said Sally.

Steel Magnolias is filled with wit and smart repartee, taking us on a journey from the joy of engagements and childbirth to the tragic mortality of life. This iconic comedy is the perfect ticket for every generation and proves that one hair appointment might just change your life.

The play is on at the Paget Rooms from Wednesday 9^th to Saturday 12^th October and tickets are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk