Join the Patriot Players of Patrick Henry Community College as they explore the complexities of women and celebrate womanhood with their latest show, “Love, Loss and What I Wore,” which runs from March 3-6.
“This is our first ‘dramedy’—a comedy having dramatic moments,” said Devin Pendleton, director of programs and artistic director for the Patriot Players. “This play is a funny and engaging collage of snapshots punctuated by clothing. It’s hard-hitting, but it’s also a feel-good play that celebrates the lives of women in different ages, stages and backgrounds.”
This play also is special, Pendleton said, because March is National Women’s History Month, a month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. It runs the weekend before International Women’s Day on March 8, celebrated in the U.S., the United Kingdom and Australia.
“Our experiences often are shaped by how others see us, treat us, and how we ultimately treat ourselves,” Pendleton said. “In a culture that places ridiculous expectations on the female form, ‘Love, Loss and What I Wore’ provides not only a voice from the female perspective, but the laughter and pain that goes along with those expectations.”
Pendleton is directing the show, which includes cast members Cathy Burton, Cindy Hollingsworth, Tracey Scott-Harris, Robin Ferguson and Jessica Robinson.
Much of what’s going on in the show is something that cast members have experienced in their lives, according to Burton.
“Some of the show’s topics are very lighthearted and funny about what we’ve seen in our lives, but others are very serious and deep,” Ferguson said. “They’ll make you reach down and think about things you’ve gone through and maybe what someone else may have gone through… I think it’s going to make anyone who’s becoming a new mother or relatively new mothers look at things a little differently.”
“Love, Loss and What I Wore” is a play of ensemble pieces written about women, clothes, and memory, covering all the important subjects: mothers, prom dresses, buying bras, hating purses, and why many women only wear black. It’s based on the best-selling book written by Ilene Beckerman. While clothes may not define the woman, they often tell her story.
The show runs from March 3-6 at 7 p.m. at Piedmont Arts, located at 215 Starling Ave. in Martinsville. Tickets are $12 and available at the PHCC Switchboard and at the Martinsville Henry County Visitor’s Center at New College Institute, 191 Fayette St., Martinsville.
To find out more information, visit www.phccpatriotplayers.com or call (276) 638-8777, extension 0460.
