Two friends relive past memories — the details of their lives forever recorded in a series of letters that span nearly half a decade.
This is the story of Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace …
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Two friends relive past memories — the details of their lives forever recorded in a series of letters that span nearly half a decade.
This is the story of Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III as told in the play “Love Letters,” which will be performed in the Presser Arts Center Stribling Blackbox Theater for one night only on Feb. 14.
The coinciding holiday was not lost on Play Director Rob Dalton, who said he will be “jazzing up” the Valentine’s Day production to make the experience a full-blown date night.
“For us guys out there, it’s like, ‘Where am I going to go for a Valentine’s meal and what am I going to do?’” he said. “This is all-inclusive because it’s dinner and a show.”
Before the show, there will be a cash bar available, as well as a caricaturist and photo opportunities. Dinner will be catered by Carlson House in the black box theatre while live music plays in the background.
“Instead of the classic cigarette girl from the old days, we have someone selling long-stem roses,” Dalton said
He added that Presser has partnered with Blossoms and Blooms to create special “Love Letters” floral arrangements, which can be ordered and delivered to the theatre.
The Pulitzer-nominated “Love Letters,” written by A.R. Gurney, is a two-person readers theater that debuted in 1988. Ladd, played by Dave Roland of Mexico, and Gardner, played by Ruth Nation of Vandalia, will be seated together on the same stage as they reread the letters, but the story takes place in their homes.
“Once they sit down, they go into character and they’re not even in the same room,” Dalton said.
Ladd and Gardner will take spectators through 50 years of their separate lives between the 1930s and 1980s.
“Some folks think, ‘Readers theater — that’s kind of high school,’” Dalton said “But if it’s done well with people who can really act, it’s a good performance.”
According to Dalton, this play has elements of romance, friendship and the occasional “smart-ass” comment, but the most compelling message of the play is that love doesn’t die.
“They tried to be romantically involved,” he said. “It didn’t work, but the friendship remained. You can feel the heartstrings getting pulled throughout.”
Tickets are $50 and can be purchased on the Presser Arts Center website or at the box office.
