Community Corner

Coastal Rep Celebrates the Season of Love With A.R. Gurney's Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama 'Love Letters'

Coastal Repertory Theatre presents A.R. Gurney’s Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama LOVE LETTERS. Long popular with actors, including William Hurt, Kathleen Turner and Sam Elliott, the story centers on two characters, Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III. Using the epistolary form sometimes found in novels, they sit side by side at tables and read the notes, letters and cards they’ve exchanged over 50 years. The letters reveal the hopes and ambitions, dreams and disappointments, victories and defeats that have passed between them throughout their separated lives.

In a unique twist, Coastal Repertory Theater director Tom Woosnam has cast six couples who met and married while working in the theatre in the roles of Melissa and Andrew.  The six couples, all veterans of the stage, will perform the roles in repertory throughout the run of the play. “The play explores the relationship between two people who grew up together, went their separate ways but continued to share confidences over the years via letters,” says director Tom Woosnam. “The result is powerful and evocative when the actor’s read the letters as what is implied is as revealing and meaningful as what is actually written down.”

LOVE LETTERS was first performed in 1988 by the playwright himself with Holland Taylor, at the NY Public Library, then opened in 1988 at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut with Ann McDonough and John Rubinstein. It has gone on to become a popular favorite for actors and audiences alike and was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama. LOVE LETTERS appeared Off-Broadway in 1989 and quickly moved to Broadway that same year with Colleen Dewhurst and Jason Robards. In 1990 it had lengthy runs at San Francisco’s Theater on the Square.

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Appearing in the Coastal Repertory Theater production of LOVE LETTERS is:

Gail Erwin and Paul Smith       

Find out what's happening in Half Moon Baywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Joe and Gina Gustino          

Daniel Trecroci and Jennifer Gauthier   

Michael Lederman and Roxane Ashe 

Christine and Dominic Falletti       

Doug Mallon and Stacy Trevenon    

 

“When we thought about how we could celebrate our sense of love for the theatre and best represent the play, we decided why not use married couples who found each other and fell in love while working in the theater,” says Michael Lederman, Artistic Director, Coastal Repertory Theater. “Of course, we are very lucky to have an amazing and diverse talent pool here at Coastal Rep that allows us to do this.”

A.R. Gurney’s LOVE LETTERS appears at the award-winning Coastal Repertory Theatre fromFebruary 7 through March 1, 2014.

 

For more information and to purchase tickets:

Contact (650) 569-3266, or visit www.coastalrep.com
Coastal Repertory Theatre is located at 1167 Main Street in Half Moon Bay, California


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