Dear Jack, Dear Louise

Ken Ludwig’s DEAR JACK, DEAR LOUISE

directed by Michael Perlman

Excerpts from A Better Legend: From the World War II Letters of Jack and Jane Poulton

Jane and Jack Poulton Jack - Nov 22, 1942 […] I wish you knew how much I liked your letter today—it made me feel happy as I may be without you and strong enough for any job— was like warm sunshine when you are cold or being in bed when you’re tired or music when you need it most. Jane - Nov 23, 1942 Please keep up the recorder so we can duet. I will be good forever and never drown you out with the piano again. I wasn’t very nice to you about that, was I? It hasn’t taken much going without you to make me realize things.

Jack - Nov 27, 1942 I have the last letter from you this morning for we are all packed and there won’t be much time for one in the morning. I hate that—letter from you that I might be having will be lying here in the Post Office or following me about the world.

Jane - Nov 30, 1942 Your letters have been marvelous and I shall keep them always. They are something to hand down to one’s grandchildren. I know how you feel when you think you aren’t putting all the things in your heart into your letters but you really do, you know. I have always known what you were trying to say and I know all about you therefore. You should know that. But a couple of thousand miles can make you a little unsure sometimes. I feel close to you always and the whole Pacific ocean can’t change that. Private Ernest Uno to his sister, Mae . Taken from War Letters, edited by Andrew Carrol

July 29, 1944 I promised you I’d write every chance I had so here I am again. In the lull, between firing. I’ve found that scribbling off a few lines of a letter was the best way to ease the tension of fighting. Any little thing we do to divert our mind and keep us busy when the fighting comes to a temporary halt, relaxes the nerves and rests our bodies. That’s why receiving mail from home is so important. I’ve got a bunch of letters in my pocket that are dirty and falling apart. They are the letters I have received from you, and the rest of the family. I almost know each one, word for word, ‘cause I’ve read and re-read them so often. They are the ones that have kept me going until the new ones come.

When my grandparents passed away about fifteen 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 talked about Michael Perlman food. They broke up a few times. My grandmother visited his mother often so that she could give updates. And they waited impatiently to receive the next letters. I was struck when I read these letters how utterly familiar they felt. Granted, online dating is faster, but we wait as eagerly for a text when we see those three little dots flashing as my grandmother did when she would run to the postal box every day to see if a letter had arrived. The method had 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. After the past year and a half, however, what was a wistful and lovely story of two people overcoming the obstacles of distance to touch one another with their words has taken on richer and deeper meaning. We all have overcome so many obstacles this year as we’ve reached out to one another to remind ourselves that the most important thing in our lives are our relationships with those around us. How thrilling it is to get to connect tonight by sharing this space and this story.

Director Michael Perlman’s Grandparents, who corresponded over 16 months from 1935-36

Berta - June 6, 1935 Good advice: it is better if you don’t fall in love with me. I don’t wish you that torture, because being so far apart and in love… Fazi - July 11, 1935 Lately I have been getting mail so irregularly, I could despair . Are you not writing regularly, or is it just the bad mail? Berta - February 1936 The mustache does not suit you at all. But you can keep it anyway, at least no one else will like your looks and you’ll stay true to me. In case you should at some time be ready to be seen by me, then please, first the razor. Fazi – February 1936 Point 1 . My mustache is deathly insulted and is mad at you . But by now it has gotten considerably smaller, so you don’t have to worry . Furthermore, one can get used to anything, even a mustache . Fazi - July, 1936 One secret I have to reveal to you . For your sake I have shaved off my mustache, so that I would not have to test your love all too much . Berta - April 16, 1936 I am coming! […] Stay well and accept the most heartfelt kisses from your Berta, who soon will be all, all yours. Fazi - July 26, 1936 Yesterday I received your dear letter of 24 July and it made me very happy to hear that the date of your arrival has moved much closer…If that is so, I think this will then be the last letter that we exchange…So, I hope this is the last time I will have to send you kisses in writing, and I am looking forward to you and to the real ones . (The July 26th letter was the last one in the collection)

10 Minute Intermission

CREATIVE TEAM

Director Michael Perlman+ Scenic Design AnnDee Alvidrez** Costume Design Elly Hunt Lighting Design Kaye Swindell Sound Design Ethan Fuller Intimacy Captain Jenni Harbour Dramaturg Courtney Cauthon EDI Facilitation Will Ward

MANAGEMENT

Stage Manager JuanCarlos Contreras*

CAST

Jack Ludwig Graham Ward* Louise Rabiner Caitlin Wise*

Content Advisory: This production contains descriptions of war and violence, some strong language, and a love story that ends happily.

Dear Jack, Dear Louise premiered at Arena Stage (Washington, DC); Molly Smith, Artistic Director and Edgar Dobie, Executive Producer November 21-December 29, 2019

Ken Ludwig's Dear Jack, Dear Louise is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. concordtheatricals.com

Excerpt from Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesserling, Original Broadway Production by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, used with permission.

The videotaping or making of electronic or other audio and/or visual recordings of this production and distributing recordings or streams in any medium, including the internet, is strictly prohibited, a violation of the author(s)’s rights and actionable under United States copyright law. For more information, please visit: concordtheatricals. com/resources/protecting-artists

** Terrence and Polly Jones Scenic Designer