With Frances still visible in the rear-view mirror and Ivan threatening the bay area, some On-the-Towners rescheduled weekend events and others stayed the course.
American Stage postponed its annual Act One gala but not the Friday night premiere of Anna in the Tropics, Nilo Cruz's Pulitzer Prize-winning play set in Ybor City.
Anna is only the second play to have won the Pulitzer before having a run in New York, and American Stage is the first small theater in the country to perform it, artistic director Todd Olson told the audience.
He said the tobacco leaves used in the production, which uses a cigar factory replica as its set, are from the Dominican Republic.
The opening night crowd sampled hors d'oeuvres from Central Avenue Oyster Bar in the theater's outdoor courtyard and included Al May, Brian Reale and Fred Wilcox, Pete and Lisa Wells, Bud and Fran Risser, Sue Brody, Donna Fleece, David and Astrid Ellis, Aila Erman, Bob Kelzer, Hal Freedman and Willi Rudowski, Manny and Shannon Carmona and Mark Spano, executive director of the Palladium Theater, which delayed its Steinway dedication a week.
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Pinellas County's Oncology Nursing Society threw a party Saturday for female cancer survivors at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, and a wonderful evening it was.
Organizers used the World War II era image of Rosie the Riveter for the program, which they titled "United We Stand - Together We Can." Proceeds will go into the society's Women Survivors Fund, which helps patients who need financial assistance.
Very moving was the nurses raising money to treat survivors to a festive meal. And, a survivor confided, there was no distinguishing between survivor guests and others.
Among those attending were Patty and Marc Wojcik, Carol Cowan, Barbara LeCroy, Mary Evertz, Liz Curry, Lynn Cox, Kally Harvard, Gail Goss and Drs. Jeff Paonessa, Richard Knipe and Patti Dolan.
Christin Creignou, whose husband, Jean-Paul, is in Greece preparing for the Paralympics, hopes to leave for Athens on Saturday. The games begin Friday and run through Sept. 28. John Ross-Duggan and Brad Johnson also are on the team of disabled athletes competing for sailing gold.
Wendy Migliore and Jeanne Diehl were co-chairwomen for the event, leading a committee that included Nancy Bedy, Angie Borkoski, Rosalie Conner, Rose Huro, Debi McCreary and Karen White, with additional assistance from Janet Hunter.
SunTrust was the evening's major sponsor.
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Restaurateur Reiner Heimann gathered friends at Cafe Alma in downtown St. Petersburg on Sept. 8 for the first in a series of benefit dinners he plans to assist the Peg Nunn Foundation, which will help the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast.
Lawrence Ricker, a retired University of South Florida psychology professor, sipped a martini as he waited for other guests to arrive. He lives in the Allendale neighborhood and had been without electrical power - and ice and martinis - for four days.
Joining them were Angelo Telese, Laurie Vallett and Lenne Nicklaus-Ball, a granddaughter of Mrs. Nunn who spent the previous days housing college students evacuated because of Frances and readying rooms for Progress Energy crews in her family business, the Sirata Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach.
Completing the group was Brandi Wynans, who launched her radio talk show, Parents Talk & Teens Rap, on WTBN-AM 570 and 910 the next day. It focuses on teens and airs 8 to 9 p.m. Thursdays.
Looking ahead
Sunday
ACT ONE GALA: Third annual American Stage benefit features wine, dinner, performance of Anna in the Tropics, champagne reception. Black tie. 6 p.m. Tramor Cafeteria, Fourth Street and Second Avenue S, St. Petersburg. 823-7529.
Tuesday
GALA CONCERT: Dick Hyman performs solo concert of American song and jazz improvisation; dedication of Steinway grand piano. 7:30 p.m. Palladium Theater, 253 Fifth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. $30. 822-3590; www.palladiumtheater.com
Mary Jane Park can be reached at 727 893-8267; fax (727) 893-8675; e-mail park@sptimes.com P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. [Last modified September 15, 2004, 01:09:22]
