Footlight Players present ‘Love, Loss, and What I Wore’
The Coshocton Footlight Players will present ‘Love, Loss, and What I Wore’ Friday and Saturday, May 12-13, May 19-20, May 26-27 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 21 at 2:30 p.m. at Triple Locks Theater, 685 North Whitewoman St. in Coshocton. The play, based on the best-selling book by Ilene Beckerman, is the result of a collaboration between Beckerman, Delia Ephron, and Nora Ephron.
Directed and produced by Sheila Mayse, the play features monologues and ensemble pieces about women, clothes, and memory, covering all the important subjects – mothers, prom dresses, mothers, buying bras, mothers, hating purses and why we only wear black. However, according to Mayse, “the play is about so much more than meets the eye. Throughout this process, the cast has really delved into the deeper meanings behind these stories. Sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, sometimes irreverent, each story has depth. It has been very important to me to help each actress connect to the real human aspects of each character. While written by women, these stories tackle truths important not only to women, but also the fathers, sons, brothers, husbands, and the lovers who nurture, support, guide, and sometimes abandon them.”
The cast features a mix of veteran performers and newcomers to the Triple Locks stage and includes Jill Baumgardner, Melissa Bluck, Susan Metz Guthrie, Heidi Miller, Ella Perrenoud, Sarah Perrenoud, Angela Stewart, and Niza Rodriguez.
While traditionally staged with the actresses seated and reading from scripts, Mayse describes this production as a “hybrid,” combining reading and engaging storytelling. “While I enjoy reader’s theater, I wanted to bring these stories to life differently for our audiences. While still somewhat simplistic, this production is enhanced by movement, costumes, lighting, set pieces, and props. This production is staged so that audiences experience the book, as shared by the author, Ilene Beckerman, (portrayed by Jill Baumgardner), from the setting of a public reading/signing event at a bookstore. The stories of the script, which are experienced for the first time by the reader, (portrayed by Susan Metz Guthrie), come to life through the words and actions of the storytellers. The audience joins the reader in the imaginative journey that unfolds as she gets lost in the pages of the script.”
Two special events are scheduled in coordination with the show. The first, a complimentary opening night reception, will begin on Friday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m. Hosted by Francie Berg, the reception will give patrons a chance to mingle and socialize while enjoying refreshments before the show. The second special event is a panel discussion scheduled for immediately following the matinee performance on Sunday, May 21. According to Mayse, “We are hosting a panel discussion with the cast and director following the matinee performance to encourage discussion about the play itself, the topics addressed in the show, as well as issues relevant to women today. We hope it will give patrons a type of behind-the-scenes look at the process of character development as well as a forum for discussing how the topics of the show move us. We will also hope to share local stories that highlight how clothing connects to the stories of our lives.”
Mayse is currently collecting stories from locals describing how memories and experiences may be linked to the clothes we have worn. The stories will then be shared through promotional materials and throughout the panel discussion. Anyone wishing to participate in an interview is encouraged to contact Sheila Mayse at 740-502-3047.
Tickets for “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” can be purchased on-line at www.footlightplayers.com or by calling the box office at 740-622-2959.
Category: Arts & Entertainment
