Love Letters is a perfect play for
the month of February, when valentines pass through the hands of young and old.
Iguana Productions remounts its successful summer offering about longed for kisses,
and destinies entwined. The letters, both sweet and bittersweet, span
two lifetimes.
Love Letters was successfully performed in San Miguel last
summer. A lot of visitors, who had seen the play before – even with a very
prominent cast – were thrilled by the stunning San Miguel production:
"Paring down the theater experience to its essence – a
great script and skilled actors, in an intimate space, grabbing an audience by
the throat. Like ancient storytellers around the communal fire.”
Karen & Mike Goot, San Miguel
"A wonderful evening of theater - As good as anything
I've seen in New York!"
Mona Molarsky, Assistant to the Dean, Columbia University,NYC
"Hands down better than the N.Y. production of
Love Letters with big name stars"
Kathi Hamblet, SMA (SPA and La Conexion)
"Love Letters is the best theatrical play I've experienced
in San Miguel. I never expected to see a Broadway worthy production in this little
town... a real treat."
Mike Taylor, San Miguel de Allende
“This production of Love Letters was very
moving; very convincing acting; at certain moments it brought tears to my eyes.”
Luisa Field, San Miguel
"I have followed the play LOVE LETTERS for many years-mostly
for the angle of star attraction; for example Robert Wagner and Jill St. John
etc. And secondly the content. Until I saw the production here in San Miguel
de Allende I have never felt the power of the story that was unfolding and their
personal observations of life, the upsides and downsides. The actors BILLIE BREMER
and DAVID HUNTER, who are truly gifted, acted and just didn't read the poignant
words of these letters that they shared for so many years. They drew you in and
made you part of the story…and isn't that the ultimate gift to be able
to give in a play. Bravo to you both!"
Sally Reid, San Miguel
"Professional quality theatre finally comes to
San Miguel in the form of Love Letters, poignant and hilarious at the same time.
Billie Bremer and David Hunter are two pro quality actors at the top of their
game, expertly directed by Kirsten Dehner." –
Roy Sorrels, New York actor and playwright.
“Fantastic experience on Friday night - it was exceptional!
Broadway Quality in every respect. We thoroughly enjoyed it!”
Tom Stephens, San Miguel
“This production would make A.R. Gurney proud!
I felt his presence and delight.”
Barbara Herrick, former Obies producer
Synopsis:
Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner, both born to wealth and position,
are childhood friends whose lifelong correspondence begins with birthday party
thank-you notes and summer camp postcards. Romantically attached, they continue
to exchange letters through the boarding school and college years – where
Andy goes on to excel at Yale and law school, while Melissa flunks out of a series
of "good schools."
While Andy is off at war Melissa marries, but her
attachment to Andy remains strong and she continues to keep in touch as he marries,
becomes a successful attorney, gets involved in politics and, eventually, is
elected to the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, her marriage in tatters, Melissa dabbles
in art and gigolos, drinks more than she should, and becomes estranged from her
children. Eventually she and Andy do become involved in a brief affair, but it
is really too late for both of them.
However, Andy's last letter, written to
Melissa's mother, makes it eloquently clear how much
they really meant and gave to each other over the years. Physically apart for
most of their lives, but spiritually as close as only true lovers can be.
HISTORY: Love Letters was
first performed in New Haven Connecticut in 1988, shortly before the play was
published in 1989 and first staged in New York on February 13, 1989, by John
Rubinstein and Kathleen Turner. The Wall Street Journal described it as "Exhilarating,
funny and moving."
Love Letters has been seen around the world, including a brief stint
on Broadway featuring Colleen Dewhurst and Jason Robards. A cavalcade of stars
have performed the piece, including Stockard Channing, Swoosie Kurtz, Nancy Marchand,
Kate Nelligan, Paul Newman, Christopher Reeve, Robert Wagner & Jill St.
John, Lauren Bacall & Richard Kiley, Lynn Redgrave, Joanne Woodward and many
others.
A.R. Gurney (born
November 1st, 1930) is an American playwright and novelist. Born in Buffalo,
New York, Gurney, a Graduate of St. Paul's School (Concord, New Hampshire), attended
Williams College and the Yale School of Drama, after which he began teaching
humanities at MIT. He began writing plays such as Scenes from American Life,
Children, and The Middle Ages while at MIT, but it was his great
success with The Dinning Room that allowed him to write full time. Since The
Dining Room, Gurney has written a number of plays, most of them concerning
WASPs of the American Northeast, particularly New England. They include: The
Cocktail Hour, The Perfect Party, Another Antigone, The Old Boy, A Cheever Evening (based
on stories by John Cheever), Later Life, Sylvia, The Fourth Wall, Indian
Blood. In 2006, Gurney was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts
and Letters. |