Love, Loss and What I Wore on June 15

A woman’s wardrobe is an essential part of her life; and in each wardrobe, there is at least one piece of clothing or accessory that holds great sentimental significance. Love, Loss and What I Wore is not about how life revolves around clothes, but rather about how clothes become life — how a single shirt or a pair of boots becomes a reflection of the self. Sister playwrights Nora and Delia Ephron have written a series of vignettes about real and relatable women, about their lovers, mothers, and tragedies, not only through the traditional fashion milestones — prom and wedding dress, first bra, etc. — but also through more ordinary garb, such as a “gang” sweater or a blue-and-yellow vinyl bag.

No matter the outfit, all the stories in this poignant production held emotional weight. The six women in this staged reading — Meredith McMinn, Katie Thatcher, Aden Hailu, Lara Hollaway, Allison Threadgold, and Shannon Saleh — portrayed subjects as raw as breast cancer and rape in a fearless way to which the whole audience could relate. Yet for every tear wiped away, there was a chuckle to match it, as the women delivered the Ephrons’ witty lines with superb timing and realism. Even the supposedly shameful confessions got nods of approval from the audience. The cast switched seamlessly in and out of the different characters without glossing over any, rendering each in depth and with a backstory, sometimes in a matter of seconds. Each character holds significance to the story. Although there is no discernible plot or clear-cut beginning, middle, and end, this lack of structure makes the play captivating. The vignettes all connect, but you never know what kind of story you’ll hear next. Regardless of whether the next story makes you laugh or cry, these women will perform it with dedication and, of course, style.