The Lansing Civic Players' rendition of "Steel Magnolias" should instead be titled "Mush Magnolias."

Opening this past weekend at the Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbott Road, the 1980s drama, filled with bits of bland comedy, had a strong cast worthy of their demanding Southern roles. But the actual script was so dull that the first scene felt like it lasted the entirety of the play.

The show starts in Truvy Jones' beauty salon with five local women coming together to get their hair done for Shelby Eatenton's wedding. Jones, played by Linda Granger, is a feisty little dame with the type of manners you would expect a Southerner to have - lots of "sweeties" and "honeys."

As we watch the women's strong relationships with each other grow for more than two years, we learn through their gaudy gossiping just how powerful friendship is.

Leanor Reizen, who plays the sassy, ancient Clairee Belcher, gives us moments to crack a grin before the next big bomb drops, and she practically steals the show with her one-liners and flawless timing. And that's how the entire cast is - smooth, believable and each entirely different from the next.

But when the time starts to creep by slower than old Clairee, a realization hits: This show simply is a bunch of old bags sitting in their favorite hair salon, crying about one thing, laughing about another, all while getting their hair styled.

"Magnolias" pulls off its main message well, but when the audience reacts the loudest about a joke about some teen who has a lot of tattoos, it just doesn't seem like the right setting for those in their 20s.