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“We used to write letters all the time — emails are not the same. To watch this love affair grow over letters is intriguing and fun,” shares Artistic Director Molly Smith. “Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise, based on the true story of how his parents met and courted, is a lovely play — and now a fun, exciting at-home experience. Whether or not you saw the play, experience this story recreated in real time through the mail.”
In 2019, Arena Stage introduced you to Louise Rabiner and Jacob Ludwig, the parents of playwright Ken Ludwig. Audiences fell in love with their heart-warming love story that transported them back to an era when handwritten letters were the most important form of communication when physically separated.
While audiences cannot gather now and are isolated at home, Arena has created Ken’s Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise Love Letter Experience, a unique theatrical experience inspired by Tony Award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig’s play.
Delivered through the mail, patrons will relive the magic of this joyous, heartfelt drama about Ludwig’s parents who met and fell in love by letter during World War II. Experience the magic of their connection and intimate journey home through a series of handwritten correspondence including letters, photos and telegrammed finely designed and handcrafted with period details by Arena Stage’s Properties team.
This devised form of theater and unique tactile experience revitalizes a sense of personal connection to theatergoers’ mailboxes.
“Letters give us a great insight into who we are. It’s lovely to see this lost artform being renewed and sustained during this time of isolation,” explains playwright Ken Ludwig.
About Arena Stage
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Producer Edgar Dobie, is a national center dedicated to American voices and artists. Arena Stage produces plays of all that is passionate, profound, deep and dangerous in the American spirit, and presents diverse and ground-breaking work from some of the best artists around the country. Arena Stage is committed to commissioning and developing new plays and impacting the lives of over 10,000 students annually through its work in community engagement. Now in its eighth decade, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of more than 300,000. arenastage.org
