Love Letters opens Thursday at Kelowna Actors Studio QUICKHIT
In 1934, Adolf Hitler carried out his “blood purge” of political and military rivals in Germany in what came to be known as “The Night of the Long Knives.”
In 1948, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King made his last speech in the House of Commons before retiring as Canada’s longest-serving leader.
In 1974, Mrs. Martin Luther King Sr. and a church deacon were slain by a crazed gunman in Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where her son, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the assassinated civil rights leader, once preached.
In 1975, Cher and Gregg Allman of “The Allman Brothers Band” were married. Nine days after marrying Allman, Cher was again suing for divorce.
In 1976, police raided singer Neil Diamond’s house. They didn’t find enough marijuana for an arrest, but Diamond did give them copies of his new album, “Beautiful Noise.”
In 1984, Liberal John Turner was sworn in as Canada’s 17th prime minister, succeeding Pierre Trudeau. Turner held office until his party’s overwhelming defeat by Brian Mulroney’s Tories in a federal election six weeks later.
In 2007, “Sam the Record Man,” one of Canada’s most recognizable music landmarks, closed its doors for good after decades as Toronto’s prime destination for music buyers. The company’s founder, Sam Sniderman, began selling records in 1937 and the main store on Yonge Street had been in business since 1961.
Everyone in your life is there for a year, a season or a reason; or so the pundits claim. For most of us, there’s that one special person who enters our life, adds to it, and often just fades away into the void of time.
Occasionally, we reach out to touch base, to catch up; perhaps sadly to say a final good-bye.
In “Love Letters,” two such fast-bonded friends keep the strings tied over decades by exchanging frequent and not-so-frequent letters.
Their story is about underlying connections, dis-connections, life decisions, soul-searching events and, above all, love, understanding, compassion and acceptance.
This enduring romance about first loves and second chances features two top-notch actors in the two-hander roles of Andrew (Randy Leslie) and Melissa (Ruby Bullock-Spitz).
The play, written by A.R. Gurney, was nominated for a Pulitzer in Drama, and seduced such notable actors as Ali MacGraw, Ryan O’Neal, Carol Burnett, Brian Dennehy, Alan Alda and Candice Bergen into taking the challenge on stage.
“From the perspective of theatre, this is one of the best pieces,” Leslie noted. “It’s about the writing and the reading the letters that deliver extremely impactful moments in the show,” he said.
“It’s pretty radical by 2018 standards,” he added.
There are no moving lights, no spinning sets, no fog machines or actors flying through the air.
It’s just two actors on stage reading What: Love Letters, presented by Kelowna Actors Studio, featuring Ruby Bullock-Spitz and Randy Leslie with director Margaret Gobie. When: July 4 – 21 with evening and matinee performances. Where: Kelowna Actors Studio, 1379 Ellis Street in downtown Kelowna Tickets: Available as dinner & show or show only. Kelowna Tickets, 250-8622867 each others’ letters —- over the span of decades —- beginning with their initial meeting as youngsters at age seven, to their present-day adult personas some four decades later.
“At first, I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not,” recalled Bullock-Spitz. “I mean, just two people on stage reading letters. How interesting could this be?
“But, then I was engaged by the fabulous writing, the emotions of the characters, the lives they choose to live, and the lasting and very strong connection they have on so many levels over so many years,” she explained.
“The play has them age over the years as they grow older, maybe wiser, adults,” she said. “I think everyone can find that one person in their lives who you might have loved and let get away, or had a special connection with and wonder where are they now? Or someone you don’t connect with as often as you could. The writing is engaging as it follows us from meeting when we’re seven, to being much older.”
A special touch will be watching the two actors back-dropped by actual photos of themselves as children, teenagers and adults aligned with the progression of the play.
The enduring ‘romance’ follows the two friends as they experience a lifetime of events, both lovely and challenging, but continue to share their deepest confidences through letters. The letters are read aloud, creating an evocative, touching and frequently funny composition of revelations about the pair of characters.
Sometimes, the written word isn’t exactly what is meant, suggesting the audience should be advised to read between the lines, as much as Melissa and Andy should take the same advice as they read words without fully expressing emotions they cannot bear to put to paper.
Even though some directors might be tempted to make changes in the dialogue, “Love Letters” copyright comes with an explicit warning that there “cannot be off-book extras” or changes to the original script.
The integrity of the piece has held up through decades, and is “about the writing and the reading” Leslie added.
“Love Letters” has been performed in 15 languages and has graced the Broadway stage numerous times.
Bullock-Spitz added she hoped the audience takes away “the heartfelt emotions of the play, and remembers someone in their own life who touched them in a special way, maybe the timing wasn’t right, or it was a love that got away. Don’t miss the value in that relationship. Love it for what it was.”
Love Letters is presented by Kelowna Actors Studio, July 4 – 21 and tickets can be purchased at Kelowna Tickets in Orchard Park Mall. The season finale will be a full-cast production of “Mamma Mia” in August.