By Sofia McGinnis
TAMPA, Fla. — On April 10, 2025, The University of Tampa premiered its spring main stage play, Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean.
Directed by Rosemary Orlando, the show follows the Disciples of James Dean as they meet on the anniversary of James Dean’s death and look back at their lives from past to present, coming to terms with the truths in their lives.
Elysia Rosado, a theatre major and criminal investigation minor at UTampa who plays Juanita, the bible preaching owner of the Five and Dime, talks about the process of the show.
“The process to get this show to life has been a long one [but], the end result is so satisfying, and it’s a great feeling bringing Rosemary’s vision to fruition,” said Rosado.
“I absolutely loved the show,” Rosado said. “It was so fun to do a production that challenged my abilities more than other shows I have done in the past.”
Walking into the Black Box Theater, it was not hard to see the effort put into Jimmy Dean. The whole theater was transformed into the Dime and Five store. Audience members walked through the front doors to get to their seats.
Chloe Edwards, an allied health major at UTampa, talks about the transformation of the Black Box.
“I know the cast and crew have been working super hard on this show. It was really cool to see the Black Box flipped around,” said Edwards.
Edwards goes on to talk about her favorite part of Jimmy Dean.
“I thought the show was absolutely incredible, [and] my favorite part was watching all of [the] flashback scenes, [seeing] how each character changed,” said Edwards.
The audience follows multiple flashbacks throughout the show. Most follow Mona, played by Lily-Rose Sauger, an avid fan of James Dean and the mother of Jimmy Dean. The flashbacks show her developing a relationship with Joe, played by Robert Logan Mays, who, while a beloved member of the Disciples of James Dean, is ridiculed by the town for being different.
The two characters eventually fall in love, but unable to process the grief of losing James Dean, Mona claims that her baby is the son of the late actor. Unable to cope with a broken heart and losing the person he thought understood him, Joe leaves.
Eventually, Joe returns, now as Joanne, played by Elizabeth LaRosa, and confronts the entire cast. The show tackles the idea of change and how some people embrace it while others shy away from it.
The show also tackles other heavy themes, including alcoholism, divorce, and even cancer, with characters like Sissy, played by Elliana Gorecki, talking about how her husband left her due to her losing her breast because of breast cancer.
Austin Keys, a music major at UTampa, talks about his impression of Jimmy Dean.
“I was absolutely surprised how deep and emotional the story is. The actors did a phenomenal job of portraying the characters and their stories throughout the process of the play,” said Keys.
Keys said students can support the UTampa Theatre program.
“Being a non-major myself, you can certainly get involved by auditioning or possibly even joining tech crew,” said Keys. “The theatre department is absolutely incredible at UTampa, so we would love it for anyone to join us!”
There are other wonderful characters and storylines in Jimmy Dean. Stella May, played by Liv Mollica, is a sassy, high-class cowgirl who married rich and loves to flaunt it, or Edna Louise, played by Sophie Kuether, a pregnant mother of seven kids who, while not the smartest in the group, has the biggest heart.
Jimmy Dean was a wonderfully rich show. Congratulations to all the cast and crew for their hard work.
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Photo courtesy of @theatreutamp on Instagram.