Roy and I, along with Misty and Madisyn went to Ponchatoula High’s drama presentation of Steel Magnolias last Thursday evening. Kaylon Willoughby, one of our special young ladies at Trinity Baptist Church, played M’Lynn (Shelby’s mother- Sally Field’s character in the movie). My, oh my, can that girl act!!! All six of the actresses in the play were excellent and worked together like a well oiled machine!
This is Kaylon’s last performance at PHS as she graduates this year. Like her mama Rebecca says, “When she is a famous actress you can say you knew her when…..” The whole play takes place in Truvy’s Beauty Parlor.
Kaylon is the one with curlers in her hair in some of the photos below! Rebecca is a professional photographer and her photos were way higher quality than any I could take so these below are here. Plus we got to watch and hear every second of the play without worrying about taking photos!
The two cross stitch pieces on the walls at Truvy’s were from Rebecca’s family. The one that says SMILE was stitched by Rebecca’s sister Shawn when she was in high school. The Serenity Prayer was stitched by her Grandma Lola.
Near the very end of the play Kaylon had a scene where her grieving heart for the loss of her daugher Shelby just came spilling out. We were all spellbound. In that moment I knew Kaylon is going to be something special in the acting world.
When the cast, yes there were just 6 of them, came out on stage at the end I felt like my younger sisters were up there on stage. They all did such an outstanding job that I felt like I had been there with them all along. We couldn’t clap enough and they received a standing ovation.
We got to talk to Kaylon after the play and even take some photos of us with her. She’ll be starting college next year and I’ve already figured out how far it is to her new school for when she is there in plays!!
This last one is of Kaylon and several of the older Trinity folks who came to see her Thursday night.
Congratulations on a job very well done, Kaylon Rose Willoughby! We’ve enjoyed seeing you in Annie and Steel Magnolias and look forward to many more in the future!
Ya’ll come back now, ya’ hear!
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