Falling in love at a distance…
Sparks fly and love blossoms from a world away when US Army doctor, Jack, begins a correspondence with aspiring actress Louise, during WWII. Based on the story of his parents’ courtship during WWII, Tony Award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig (Sherwood, Moon Over Buffalo, Lend Me a Tenor) explores love, isolation, and hope over great distance. This certified hit of the 2021 outdoor season heads to the Mainstage, starring Caitlin Wise and Graham Ward.
Romantic Comedy

Director’s Note

When my grandparents passed away almost twenty years ago, we found letters that they had written to each other during their courtship, during which time my grandfather was in Tel Aviv and my grandmother was in Vienna. From April 1935 thru July 1936, when my grandmother finally made the journey to join him, they shared stories of their lives, their hopes, their fears.  They broke up a few times. And they waited impatiently to receive the next letters.

I was struck when I read these letters how utterly familiar they felt. Online dating is faster, and yet we’re still as impatient when we see those three little dots flashing as my grandmother was when she would run to the postal box every day to see if a letter had arrived. The method has changed, but the desire for love and connection is a constant. 

I first encountered Ken Ludwig’s funny and poignant Dear Jack, Dear Louise in December of 2019 and was reminded of these letters and of the special gift my family has of being able to read them and connect to them these many years later. When we mounted this during CRT’s outdoor season in 2021, after a long period of isolation and loss for many of us, what was a wistful and lovely story of two people overcoming the obstacles of distance to touch one another with their words had taken on richer and deeper meaning, and the awe-inspiring vista gave the play an almost operatic feel. Returning to it in the intimate setting of the Mainstage, it reminds us again that the most important thing in our lives are our relationships, and the ways in which those connections help us move through even the most challenging obstacles.