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Ken Ludwig’s

DEAR JACK, DEAR LOUISE

directed by Michael Perlman

MAY 19 – SEPT 16
MAINSTAGE THEATRE

 

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

 

Content Advisory

This production contains some mild language and major romance.

Please see CRT’s complete list of Content Advisories and Trigger Warnings for additional information.

 

ASL interpreted Performance

ASL logo

Saturday, August 12 @ 7pm

During ASL-interpreted performances, American Sign Language interpreters are located near the stage. Patrons using this service will be seated in an area that gives the best sight lines to follow both the interpretation and the action on stage. One signed performance will be offered for each CRT production Aug 11 – 13, 2023.

Seating in the designated area (denoted by an ear icon) may be purchased online, through boxoffice@creederep.com, or by calling the box office at (719) 658-2540 (voice).

Photos by McLeod Creative, John Gary Brown, & Brooke Ophoff

John DiAntonio

Michael Perlman

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.  

CAST & CREATIVE TEAM

Director
Michael Perlman+

Original Scenic & Properties Design
AnnDee Alvidrez

Original Costume Design
Elly Hunt

Lighting Design
Kevin Frazier

Original Sound Design
Ethan Fuller

Dramaturgy
Courtney Cauthon

Intimacy Captain
Jenni Harbour

Starring
Graham Ward*
Caitlin Wise*

 

* Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
+ Members of the Stage Directors & Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union.

CLUE: ON STAGE

But here’s what really happened…

THE ROYALE

a knock-out drama