MY YEAR OF SAYING NO Will Come to The Off-Central

The Off-Central Players, a 501c3 not-for-profit professional theatre company in the heart of St. Petersburg's Grand Central District, has announced a new initiative, Think Inside the Box, designed to give time, space, and voice to artists and stories that deserve to be told but don't fit the mold of traditional theatrical offerings.

The first offering is My Year of Saying No, an autobiographical, one-woman show written and performed by Janice Creneti. Set during the COVID-19 pandemic, My Year of Saying No explores impacts of the mental health crisis, sexism, and society's rigid expectations using multimedia and multiple characters such as Patriarchy, Perfection, Zoom, Janice's Body and COVID. This serio-comedy tracks one woman's journey to confront all that isn't working in the world, and in her life, to build a path back to herself. The production was developed with and directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson.

“During COVID lockdown, I discovered the power of saying No!” says Ms. Creneti. “I was in a world bent on silencing my voice and I took a stand for what really mattered to me, depression's grip weakened and joy returned. I share this discovery to pave a way for others, especially women, to reclaim their own lives”.

“We are thrilled to have Janice and her story on our stage”, says Off-Central Players Managing Director Alan Mohney, Jr. “Janice is an incredible, honest actor. I am grateful that we can give voice to such an amazing person and important story”.

Ms. Creneti is an award-winning actor and director with four decades of experience. She has appeared in over 100 productions including live theater, TV, and film. She began her journey of personal storytelling with Powerstories Theater of Tampa. It taught her to deeply embrace and leverage theater as a vehicle for social change.

Performance dates are April 25th & 26th and May 2nd & 3rd (Saturdays at 5:00 p.m., Sundays at 3:00 p.m.).