Based on the book by Ilene Beckerman
Playing at St. Petersburg City Theatre thru 2/21

Cindy Stovall – February 2021

I have always remembered life’s milestones with music. “Remember when such and such happened in our senior year? Frampton Comes Alive was #1 then.” (No counting please.) I now realize, as a result of one evening of theater, that I had at my fingertips, another way to remember that a few interesting things have actually happened to me. Here’s the blue dress I was wearing the night my newly proclaimed non-binary child was the headlining performer at the Equality Florida St. Peterburg gala. It’s the same one I wore the night Joe Biden won Pinellas County and I was co-hosting live coverage of the election with the cast and crew of Showtime’s The Circus in the room. These are the first pair of black suede boots that I could zip up after losing 70 pounds. This is the blouse I wore on the beach at my Mother’s memorial where we tossed ashes in the gulf waves she adored.

As I studied the contents of dresser drawers, shoe racks, purse hooks, etc., almost every garment or accessory has some association with a memorable bit of my life. It was quite the revelation, and I have St. Petersburg City Theatre’s production of Love, Loss and What I Wore to thank for it.

Love, Loss and What I Wore opened last night at St. Petersburg City Theatre, the oldest community theater program in Florida, to a live if slightly sparse and socially distanced audience in the 251 seat space. For safety, the lobby is closed, there is no intermission during the 90 minute show and masks stay on. I felt comfortable being there and it just feels so good to enjoy live theater with any concessions to safety that need to be made

PCCA grad, Stefanie Maiya Lehman, during her home stay while on furlough from Lincoln Center in NYC, has made great use of the time to direct this “Galentine” gem.

Based on the book by Ilene Beckerman and adapted for the stage by Ephron sisters, Nora & Delia, this series of monologues and one liners looks through the textile memory banks of its seven principal female leads – all safely spaced across the stage in their own little closet kingdoms. The monologues span their lifetimes and add literal wardrobes as backdrop to memories and stories from adolescence to old age. Video montages of hilariously relatable one-liners punctuate the plights of the women on stage, and indeed, all of us. Full disclosure, I am one of those video supporting players and I proudly displayed every bit of my waving upper arm fat in the cause of comic relief. One must sometimes suffer for their art.

In three words. I loved it. And that’s in spite of my appearance, not because of it, I assure you. It’s just sweet, and funny, and familiar and warm. You feel the presence of your mothers, your sisters, your lovers – your Birkenstocks. The ensemble plays well off one another and alone. For unpaid community theater, it’s really pretty amazing what they pull off. A small but mighty audience provided the laughter decibels of a full house. The production deserves it.

Established 1925

Which brings me to my next point. We MUST support local community theater. Of course we have superior regional professional theater companies, I review their productions all the time and can’t imagine life without them. But companies like St. Petersburg City Theatre, the Gulfport Community Players and many more, produce and offer amazingly entertaining content while surviving on a much shoe-stringier budget through donations, patron support and ticket sales.

Over the past few years, even pre-Covid, survival has been tenuous at SPCT – and for a theatre company that has existed since 1925, one that puts out the high quality product that they do, I find that unacceptable. Last night was opening night, and even when accounting for social distancing, the house felt to me, undersold. Opening night – the chance to see live theater on Valentine’s weekend – very reasonable ticket cost – a huge parking lot with ample free space. Come ON. The parking alone is reason to come.

Stepping off the soapbox, I sincerely urge you, for every reason mentioned, to buy a ticket (or four), to Love, Loss and What I Wore. There are 3 more performances through next Sunday, And while you’re at it, pre-order tickets for Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park, opening April 23rd, 2021. Thank you for supporting community theater.

And thank you for letting me “bare arms” for art. Now go put on your Levi’s from 1985 and think about all the things that happened to you while you wore them. You’re welcome.

Adults, $23
All Shows – Students, $15; Under Ten, $10
plus $2 processing fee/Group rates available

Performances – Friday/Saturday at 7:30PM, Sunday at 2:00PM

4025 31st St., St. Petersburg, FL 33712 (727) 866-1973 http://www.spcitytheatre.org