In the eyes of their director, local actors Chris Adams and Renee LaRochelle delivered truly raw and excellent performances.
The 100 Mile House Performing Arts Society recently wrapped up its production of Love Letters, a two-person dramatic play by writer A.R. Gurney, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
LaRochelle, as Melissa Gardner, and Adams, as Andrew Makepeace Ladd III, were “remarkable,” says director Marie Hooper.
“It was very emotional and the audience seemed to really be drawn in with the actors, which was our goal. I think it takes a lot of courage for a person, who’s not a professional actor, to make themselves that vulnerable, to be able to emotionally get to a place that’s not normally what we walk around exposing to the world.
“They did that extremely well. I was really proud of them.”
The play, which ends with a suicide, revolves around both characters sitting side-by-side at tables and reading notes and letters they’ve written throughout their lives. The dramatic production was a departure from the comedic route the local theatre group took last year and from its large musicals in the past.
“They really did push themselves out of their comfort zone,” Hooper says. “They were truly raw and it was excellent.”
Adams gave a big thank you to everyone who worked in the production, which ran Oct. 16-18 at Martin Exeter Hall in 100 Mile House, and says while the performance was very emotional to deal with, it was a great learning experience.
“We all worked really hard on it. Of course, we always have a lot of fun. It’s great that it went over really well and our audiences were fantastic.”
Hooper says the cast and crew are considering entering Love Letters in Theatre BC’s annual adjudicated zone festival in the spring, so local audiences might get another chance to see the play if they missed it this time around.
Next up for the 100 Mile House Performing Arts Society is a winter production of the Art of Murder, a mystery written by Joe DiPietro, and directed by local member Gord Smith.
