The curtain is about to rise on Wine Country Theatre’s 11th season with the upcoming production of Tiny Beautiful Things April 4-13 in Paso Robles.
The play, based on the bestselling book by Cheryl Strayed, revolves around an anonymous Internet advice columnist named Sugar and how she responds to readers seeking guidance, solace, and human connection.
Strayed drew on her own experiences as an online columnist for The Rumpus literary magazine from 2010 to 2012, where she regularly dispensed such wise nuggets as “Be brave enough to break your own heart,” and “Trust yourself.”
A typical question: “If I’m paid to be part of an ‘arrangement’ with a married man, will I have to declare it as taxable income?”
Strayed’s approach to writing the column? “I’ve always written this as if I were a naked woman, standing in a field, showing you everything but her face,” she once said in an interview.
So, this isn’t Ann Landers nor Dear Abby, but not to worry—Oscar-nominated writer Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) transformed the book for the stage, balancing humor with the pathos of daily life.
“This is a play about reaching when you’re stuck, healing when you’re broken, and finding the courage to take on the questions that have no answers,” says director Cynthia Anthony. “It’s the type of script that punched me in the gut from the first read and continues to hit me every time I work with it.”
The four-member cast features Kristen Saunders as Sugar and Edgar De La Cruz, Kata Linfield, and Tracy Mayfield playing a combined 25 different roles as the advice-seeking Letter Writers.
“Some stories don’t need big spectacle—just truth, heart, and human connection. That’s exactly what Tiny Beautiful Things delivers,” says Anthony.
Tiny Beautiful Things runs for two consecutive weekends starting April 4, with Friday and Saturday evening performances and Sunday matinees. Anthony advises that the play is intended for mature audiences because of strong language and adult content.
General admission tickets are available online and all performances are on the intimate stage at Plymouth Congregational Church on the corner of 13th and Oak Streets in downtown Paso Robles. Audience members are seated at tables and may purchase wine and snacks to enjoy during the show.
Doors open one hour prior to performance. Proceeds benefit the church’s community outreach programs as well as the nonprofit community theatre.