Toronto's Love, Loss, and What I Wore Will Star Canadian Divas Pitre, Dale, Martin and More

By Kenneth Jones
09 Jun 2010

Louise Pitre
Louise Pitre
Photo by David Leyes

The Canadian premiere Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron's Love, Loss, and What I Wore will boast major leading ladies of Canadian stage and TV, including Paula Brancati, Lauren Collins, Wendy Crewson, Cynthia Dale, Andrea Martin and Louise Pitre.

Producers Michael Rubinoff and Daryl Roth announced casting on June 9. A New York and regional U.S. hit that offers women's stories about the clothes they wore during milestones in their lives, Love, Love, and What I Wore will play Toronto's Panasonic Theatre (651 Yonge St.). A cast of five will rotate in four-week cycles starting July 16.

Gemini and Dora Mavor Moore Award nominee Paula Brancati ("Degrassi: The Next Generation," "Being Erica"), Emmy and Tony Award-winning comedy legend Andrea Martin ("SCTV," "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," My Favorite Year, Fiddler on the Roof) and Tony nominee and Dora Award winner Louise Pitre (Mamma Mia!, Les Misérables, Annie Get Your Gun, The Toxic Avenger) will be part of the premiere cast July 16-Aug. 7.

Gemini nominee Lauren Collins ("Degrassi: The Next Generation"), five-time Gemini Award winner Wendy Crewson ("Away From Her," "24," "ReGenesis") and Dora Award winner and Gemini nominee Cynthia Dale (Stratford Festival leading lady for ten seasons, "Street Legal") will be part of the August cycle that runs Aug. 10-Sept. 4.

Here's how producers characterize the experience: "Love, Loss, and What I Wore is a collection of stories based on the best-selling book by Ilene Beckerman, as well as on the recollections of the Ephrons' friends. Like the popular book, it uses clothing and accessories and the memories they trigger to tell funny and often poignant stories that all women can relate to."

The producers also announced that the Toronto production will be directed by Karen Carpenter, the director of the New York production of Love, Loss, and What I Wore that opened Off-Broadway at the Westside Theatre on Oct. 1, 2009 to solid reviews and continues to play to capacity. New York casts have included Rosie O'Donnell, Kristin Chenoweth, Jane Lynch, Samantha Bee, Tyne Daly, Rhea Perlman, Carol Kane, Brooke Shields, Melissa Joan Hart, Fran Drescher, Caroline Rhea and others. A Los Angeles company opened at the Geffen Playhouse on May 13.

Additional casting will be announced shortly. A portion of the production's proceeds will benefit the Toronto chapter of Dress for Success. To find out more about the charity, visit www.dressforsuccess.org/toronto.

For tickets, call (416) 872-1212 or (800) 461-3333 or online at www.ticketking.com. For more information, visit www.lovelossonstage.ca.