Love Letters

Guest Stars Mimi Kennedy & Bob Bernhardt to Bring LOVE LETTERS to CTC Stage Feb. 10

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Chattanooga Theatre Centre is staging a one-night-only presentation of A.R. Gurney’s romantic comedy LOVE LETTERS, starring award-winning actress Mimi Kennedy and Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Music Director Emeritus Bob Bernhardt. A full evening of sweets, live music, and unforgettable theatre, this fundraising event is set for Saturday, February 10, with a reception and live music at 7 p.m. and the curtain rising on the play at 8 p.m.

The Theatre Centre’s production of LOVE LETTERS, a funny and emotional portrait about the powerful connection of love, will feature the talents of guest artists Kennedy, a film, TV and stage actress currently featured on the hit CBS comedy MOM, and Bernhardt, the CSO music director and conductor for 19 seasons who is beloved by local audiences for his unique blend of dedication, commitment to excellence, and sense of humor.

The evening will open with a reception featuring the tasty fare of Chattanooga Snack Attack’s Molly Follett, a specialty cocktail by Easy Bistro’s Nathan Rocha, and music by jazzy songstress Robin Grant. After the performance of LOVE LETTERS, VIP guests will be invited to an after-party and meet-and-greet with Kennedy and Bernhardt. 

LOVE LETTERS, a two-person comedy by A.R. Gurney, a prolific American playwright who passed away last summer, has been staged around the world with pairings of some of the greatest talents in theatre and the entertainment industry. The play is comprised of letters exchanged over a lifetime between two people, with the actors reading the letters aloud from the stage. 

The story is of two friends, rebellious Melissa Gardner and straight-arrow Andrew Makepeace Ladd III, who have exchanged notes, cards, and letters with each other for over 50 years. From second grade, through summer vacations, to college, and well into adulthood, they have spent a lifetime discussing their hopes and ambitions, dreams and disappointments, and victories and defeats. But long after the letters are done, the real question remains: have they made the right choices or is the love of their life only a letter away?

What is created is an evocative, touching, frequently funny but always telling pair of character studies in which what is implied is as revealing and meaningful as what is actually written down.

Bryan and Mindy Kelly are chairing the event, with proceeds supporting the 95-year-old theatre’s mission of enriching the cultural, intellectual, and emotional development of people of all ages by providing high-quality theatrical experiences and creating opportunities to engage in them. 

Individual tickets are $50. Special VIP tickets for $75 will grant patrons access to an after-party after the performance at which they will meet Kennedy and Bernhardt and enjoy champagne and a signature dessert.

For tickets, call the Theatre Centre box office at (423) 267-8534 or visit TheatreCentre.com.