Judith Allen

"Clairee is a kick! She is a quintessential southern lady; smart, charming, extremely loyal. And sassy. With a capital "S". She can eviscerate you with a smile on her face." -Judith Allen

Judith served for over two decades as OpenStage Theatre's Associate Artistic Director and is an award-winning director, actress and designer. She is the recent recipient of the BroadwayWorld (Denver Region) nod for Best Supporting for her role as Mattie Fae Aiken in August Osage County, as well as the first recipient of the Shela Jennings Award for Theatre Excellence (OpenStage, 2017). Of other note are the OpenStage productions of Noises Off (OpenStage OPUS Award for Best Play and Best Director and a Denver Post Ovation nominee for Best Comedy), The Drawer Boy (OPUS/Best Play and Best Director), Romeo and Juliet (OPUS/Best Director), The Ladies Man, and most recently, Unnecessary Farce. Favorite roles with OpenStage include Chris in Neil Simon’s Rumors (OPUS nominee and Denver Post Ovation Award winner/Best Supporting Actress), the Nurse in the 2014 production of Romeo and Juliet (OPUS/Best Actress), Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (OPUS/Best Actress). Judi is also an award-winning makeup artist and the 2001 recipient of the OpenStage Founders’ Award for outstanding contributions to the Company.

Steel Magnolias

By Robert Harling | Directed by Debbie Swann

January 19- February 16

“The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.” – Clairee in Steel Magnolias

Honey. It’s the 1980s. And hairspray is flying at Truvy’s beauty shop where the motto is, “There is no such thing as natural beauty.” Over the buzz of blow dryers, six southern spitfires gather each week to gossip and support each other through thick and thin. From weddings to divorces and from babies to funerals, they weather every event in their lives together with grace, determination, and perfectly coiffed hair. Infused with heart and humor, Steel Magnolias is a touching story of love, loss, and enduring friendship.

Lincoln Center Magnolia Theatre | 417 W. Magnolia