A Trip Through Time at the Texas Theater

PCT to Present Steel Magnolias During the Dogwood Trails

By Jason Jones

Messenger Reporter

PALESTINE – I suppose it is the fact that I have retained such a measurable amount of immaturity that leads me to feel so uncomfortable with the notion that anything that happened in my adult life could have possibly taken place 30 years ago. After all, I’m just a kid myself.

Apparently not.

Last Sunday I ventured through the doors of the Texas Theater in Palestine. My intention was to sit down with my friend, Carol Moore, and talk about the play she would be directing in the coming weeks, ‘Steel Magnolias.’ The meeting quickly turned into a walk through the neck-deep swamp of nostalgia.

The struggle with “30 years” is not unique to me. I suspect many people near my age wrestle with the idea. Carol is no exception. Steel Magnolias was the very first play she ever directed… in 1991. We spent the first half-hour of our visit discussing that very thing. “Thirty years ago,” should mean something like “when we were in grade school.”

I wasn’t a part of Palestine Community Theater (PCT) in 1991. I stumbled across the opportunity to read a script and audition a couple of years later. I was given a minor part in the female version of “The Odd Couple,” and Carol was one of the leads. I’ve had the honor to be on stage with her several times during the 13 years I did theater in Palestine, so my visit was more akin to a family reunion than any sort of interview.

After our initial lamentation of the whole three-decade debacle, Carol invited me down to the stage to see the many changes that have graced the Texas Theater in the seventeen years since I last set foot in her lobby.

My years with PCT may as well be referred to as “the dark ages.” The group had a bit of a heyday in the eighties, but the old building was in dire need of repair by the time I arrived. Many shows required the first several rows to be closed due to rain falling directly onto them. Winter shows were difficult as well. Rehearsals were typically so cold that we could see our breath as we spoke our lines. Falling plaster wasn’t uncommon and the occasional critter showed up when it was least convenient. Conditions forced the closure of the beautiful place in 1997, and she remained closed until 2005.

The Texas Theater has had a rebirth. The place is absolutely beautiful now, a testament to the hard work of so many who were committed to seeing her restored to her former glory.

Walking on that stage, however, proved that some things will never change. A short time before the closure in ‘97, I was fortunate enough to land a part in “Goodbye Charlie,” opposite Carol. The production was less family friendly than the summer musical ensembles or Christmas plays. Carol was “Charlie,” a recently deceased womanizer brought back to life as a woman to pay for his past sins and see the error of his ways. I played Charlie’s best friend who was more than a little tickled by Charlie’s situation.

At one point in the play, Carol and I were supposed to have an argument which resulted in her slapping me across the face and me returning fire. Carol, in her infinite wisdom, advised me to simply gauge how heavily she slapped me, then to return with a slap equal in force. It worked brilliantly in rehearsal. For several weeks we slapped each other convincingly with no negative effects.

Then came opening night.

I have no idea what Carol ate for breakfast that day… but my guess would be “Wheaties.” Despite running next door to the now defunct McLaughlin’s pub for a nerve-calming shot of adult libation, the usually calm and collected Carol was more than a little amped up. When we arrived at the scene where she was to slap me, she brought her right hand from somewhere two blocks away. I saw stars.

Keep in mind that I had rehearsed for weeks, and by now my brain was on autopilot. My return slap was preconditioned to match hers… so it did.

Following the slap, we were supposed to stare at each other for maybe a five count. I’m not sure what kind of train wreck Carol saw when she looked at me, but what I saw was a quivering lip and a tiny tear forming in the corner of her eye. I was absolutely certain that I had bruised her soul with that slap.

Turns out, she was upset for having slapped me so hard.

We exited the stage, and I made a beeline to apologize, all the while wondering if my mother was in the audience and how much trouble I was going to be in for slapping a lady so hard. Carol was only worried about me.

After the show, we laughed. Today we laugh harder. We also have a great story to share whenever any party or gathering slows to a crawl.

Sitting on that stage with my dear friend made me realize that I have an entire unwritten book of stories from that era. It was truly a fun time.

Just as we hit the pinnacle of such an enjoyable reunion, we were joined by several other friends who were showing up for a second script reading. There was no end to the stories and the tears and the laughter.

I was late for lunch with my wife, so I sadly had to ease my way out to the lobby way sooner than I wanted. I exchanged my information for some long-missing phone numbers and made my way home. That was three days ago. My mind hasn’t stopped recounting those 13 years since.

PCT has been well documented since it reopened in 2005. Photos and timelines, casts and stories are all documented online, and it paints a picture of amazing local talent and dedication to a craft. My era at PCT pretty much requires access to some microfiche or the scrapbooks of a few friends … maybe an antiquated VCR. Fitting really. After all, it was the dark ages.

Steel Magnolias is an amazing play. A good laugh and a good cry are all but guaranteed. The cast is bursting at the seams with incredible talent and Carol Moore is an amazing director. You will absolutely enjoy the production. Supporting the theater has the added benefit of preserving a beautiful landmark for Palestine, as well as a regular cultural event, which is a necessity for the perfect date night. No one within easy reach of downtown Palestine can complain that “there’s never any reason to get dressed up and go out.”

The curtain will part on March 25-27 and April 1-3. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students when purchased online at www.thetexastheater.com, or $17 and $12 respectively at the door.

And should the mood strike and the stars line up, go ahead and audition for a play. You could use some new stories.

Jason Jones may be reached via email at [email protected].