Mayor Rick Kriseman (center) poses on stage with the cast of “Webb’s City: the Musical” at The Palladium theater in St. Petersburg. Courtesy of Bill Leavengood
By Sailor Jane Adams
A startling feature of St. Petersburg’s historic events and how they paved the way to a new kind of prosperity is radiantly reincarnated as “Webb’s City: The Musical.”
Written and directed by Bill Leavengood with music and lyrics by Lee Ahlin, it was presented for the third time in concert form Sept. 21-23 at The Palladium Theater.
Great themes of ambition, originality and enterprise permeate the play through the bold and brazen protagonist, James Earl “Doc” Webb (Jim Sorensen). His tale begins in the lively 1920s, when he establishes a one-stop department store in St. Petersburg that’s subsequently coined “The World’s Most Unusual Drugstore.”
Feeling alone and abandoned due to her husband’s new devotion to the business, Marie Webb (Colleen Cherry) struggles with the truth about their marriage, while Doc Webb develops strong feelings for a spirited young woman (Senna Prasatthong) and employee at his store, who supports him through his career.
Many others, like Frank Hubert (Charles Reynolds), feud with Webb over his unconventional ways to success. However, some people, specifically a man named Leo Kerns (Cranstan Cumberbatch), offer impartial wisdom and friendship to Webb during burdensome times in both his company and American history.
While every actor in this small, intimate cast is worth noting for making “Webb’s City” the effervescent production that it is, there were three standouts: Prasatthong, for her outstanding vocal capacity and vibrant energy that lit up the entire stage; Reynolds, for his illustrious antagonistic representation of those opposing Webb’s ventures; and of course Sorensen, for his stirring portrayal of a man who put his faith in everything he had to achieve his dream.
The compact stage left little room for many props and large sets, but the continual movement of the cast and swift blocking in each scene filled the spaces effortlessly.
A small band rested at the back end of the stage playing the score, completely visible to the audience but disregarded by the cast. The lighting was soft and warm, complementing the red curtains on either side.
Costumes were simple and never changed, with the exception of minor alterations as a sign of the times, bringing all the attention to who the characters are.
The audience is not bothered with distractions and can focus on the characters themselves, unembellished and empathizable.
“Webb’s City: The Musical” is a journey that lasts more than five decades and bears important threads of love, friendship and growth — both emotional and industrial.
It brings an irrepressible take on this town’s past through inspiring and positive numbers, passionate actors and a director who saw the significance in showcasing such a momentous time in St. Petersburg history.
The play was daring, blunt and alive. Webb’s cleverness and fervor for his cause is empowering to all, and the determination of his character generates an authentic display of the American Dream.
He was “one of the most colorful, unique and bigger than life characters…a great hero,” Leavengood said.
The reflection on Webb’s successes — his groundbreaking innovations, pushing of boundaries and extreme support to the community — lives on. Even his rivals have to admit he was “one of a kind.”
