Local actors Robert Doran and Lynne Bolton will be performing A.R. Gurney’s play Love Letters on Nantucket Island on Daffodil weekend, April 28, to support the White Heron Theatre Company and the Nantucket Theatre Institute, two new organizations being created on the island.
Both Bolton and Doran are from New Canaan, and are professional actors who have worked together on many projects.
“This play is an audience favorite because it captures with detailed precision the lives of these two people—Melissa and Andy—through what is said, and unsaid, in their letters,” Doran said. “It’s fun and poignant and gives us a peek into the lives of upper class New England in mid-twentieth century America.”
“I am so excited to work with Bob on the stage in Nantucket. We have been collaborators for many years, but it is a rare chance to perform together. Love Letters captures Andy and Melissa with a depth of feeling and precision of detail only Gurney can command,” said Bolton.
The story traces the lifelong correspondence of Andy Ladd and Melissa Gardner beginning with their friendship in 1930’s Connecticut through prep school, college and beyond. This play is being produced by Nantucket’s new professional theatre, White Heron, founded by Bolton.
The White Heron Theatre Company was originally a New York based theatre company that has moved to Nantucket to a new home at 5 North Water Street directly behind the Whaling Museum. The Water Street location will also house the Nantucket Theatre Institute – an educational, performance and development organization designed to advance the art and practice of transformational theatre. The construction of a new theatre is planned for the site.
“It is wonderful to be able to create something that we hope will have a lasting impact on the arts and the island,” said Lynne Bolton, co- artistic director of White Heron. “A professional theatre and a theatre institute will allow us to import nationally and internationally acclaimed theatre artists to the island and to export artistic product as well. Our location at the end of the ‘cultural corridor’ in downtown Nantucket will position us perfectly to keep the lights on through the winter and offer programming to support the local economy and local organizations while keeping a national and international presence in the theater. “
White Heron took a production of George Bernard Shaw’s Candida to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year receiving critical acclaim for their work. Michael Kopko, executive director of White Heron is a native of Westport, CT.
Love Letters will be playing for one performance only, Sunday, April 28 at 2:00 p.m. at the Dreamland Studio Theater. Tickets are $20, available through the Dreamland box office or online at www.nantucketdreamland.org.
Please contact Robert Doran at doranbob@optonline.net or (203) 253-4271 for more information.