‘I am a Mistery’ brings Dalí’s gender-bending muse to the stage in St. Pete next week

Was Amanda Lear Salvador Dalí’s muse, David Bowie’s flame, a disco queen with a gender-bending secret—or all of the above? “I Am a Mistery,” written by former St. Petersburg Times book editor Margo Hammond and directed by Bob Devin Jones, dives into the legend of Amanda Lear with wit, camp, and theatrical flair.

Inspired by Lear’s teasing disco anthem of the same name, the staged reading opens with multiple Lears in a playful quiz show spoof. A rotating ensemble of actors takes turns embodying Lear, each exploring a different facet of her myth.

Which is the real Lear? “Come decide for yourself at this play about gender matters that will have you pondering whether gender matters,” Hammond said in a release.

Every performance concludes with an interactive panel on art, identity, and gender, featuring local cultural leaders.

The show’s Dalí Museum debut on Tuesday is sold out, but there are still tickets available for the next two performances at The Studio@620.

Tickets are $25 for “I Am a Mistery” in St. Petersburg on Monday, Oct. 10 and Tuesday, Oct. 11.

This article appears in Oct 2-8 2025.