Wine Country Theatre Presents ‘Love, Loss, and What I Wore’

The show, written by Norah and Delia Effron, will have its second weekend of shows from June 17 through 19

PASO ROBLES — Wine Country Theatre is back with its production of “Love, Loss, and What I Wore.” The show’s run started last weekend, with two out of their three performances completely sold-out. It will continue its run at the Plymouth Congregational Church Fellowship Hall in Paso Robles this weekend (June 17-19).

“When we realized that we had no venue any longer at the Park Ballroom, I go to this church; it’s like my second home. I was literally in here [the Plymouth Congregational Church Fellowship Hall] having coffee one Sunday. The church service people gather in here and have cookies and coffee,” said Director and Wine Country Theatre Creator Cynthia Anthony. “I was just staring at that stage, and I thought, I wonder if we could do ‘Love, Loss, and What I Wore’ in here? This is an example of a venue calling out for the play because the play’s very simply staged, and it worked. I just had a vision about it.”

“Love, Loss, and What I Wore” is written by esteemed sister duo and screenwriters Norah and Delia Effron. Norah is known for penning rom-coms like “When Harry Met Sally” and “Sleepless in Seattle,” while Delia and Norah tag-teamed for the likes of “You’ve Got Mail” and “Hanging Up,” which is based on a book also written by Delia. 

“[I] absolutely loved it,” said actress Christine Miller of the script. “[It’s] well written, it’s fun to play, and when you start getting the feedback from the audience, it just creates this back and forth that is why you’re on stage.”

The show expands on what it’s like to be a woman by examining the clothes worn during life-changing moments, from getting your first bra to going to prom, getting married, and everything in between. 

Paso Robles Press was invited to the almost sold-out show on Saturday, June 11, and were left in stitches by the comedy they witnessed on stage, performed by six of the Central Coast’s extraordinarily talented and comedic actresses. Dori Duke, Christine Miller, Mary-Ann Maloof, Lindsey Lee Taylor, Allison Bradshaw, and Kristen Saunders brought over 28 characters to life on stage. All of the characters had their own memories concerning the clothes they wore while surrounded by drawings of outfits and clothes hanging throughout the venue and behind them on stage, telling their own stories.

“These women are amazing women, personally, but then also as performers and actors,” Taylor said. “Our director is awesome, and the theater company, in general, is incredibly active and supportive of getting different material that’s not really been done a whole lot [out there].” 

The play, while written by the Effrons, is actually based on the book of the same name by Ilene Beckerman and was one of the longest-running off-Broadway shows to date.  

“It’s really fun. I feel like this show is just so relatable. The script has really got something for everybody, and so much of it really hits home with so many people,” Duke said. “A friend of mine saw it and said that it made her realize how much women go through and the judgment, and just how hard we are on ourselves, and all the things that happen. You kind of forget that there’s all of those things that happen. The good and the bad.”

While the show’s subject matter is geared toward females, the humor and heart of the script are sure to connect with anyone in the audience.

“We actually had one gentleman who told our actors afterwards that watching the show gave him more insight into the female mystique than him having a wife and three sisters,” Saunders said.

“I did have this 80-year-old man last night tell me, ‘In all of my 80 years, I have never learned anything as much about women as I did tonight.’ So, he just made my night,” added Taylor.

Tickets for “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” are still available for Friday, June 17, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m., while the Sunday, June 19, show at 2 p.m. is sold out. Tickets are $28 for general admission and can be purchased at My805Tix, and more information can be found at www.WineCountryTheatre.com.

“Hopefully, people go home, and they are full of their own memories of clothes through the years, of things about clothes and sisters and friends and marriages and wedding dresses and prom dresses,” concluded Anthony.