Tag Archives: Love Letters

Main Stage, Previous Shows

A Thank You Letter from The West Allis Players

With our run of Love Letters coming to a close, we thought it appropriate to write a little letter of our own….

Dear Community,

We want to thank you for coming out to see our production of Love Letters by A.R. Gurney!

It was a short rehearsal process, with only a month to prepare for a one weekend run, but our six actors were more than up to the task of bringing the fifty years of written communication between Andy Ladd and Melissa Gardener to life!

To Ben, Maria, Lance, Valentina, Paul, and Antoinette: Thank you for sharing your talents with not only the West Allis Players, but the audiences as well. We were glad to have you and we hope to see you again at future auditions!

To Sarah, our stage manager: Despite being behind the scenes, your contributions have NOT gone unnoticed! Thank you for all that you were able to do to keep everything running!

To Stacy Madson, our director: Thank you for taking a unique approach to this incredible story! From staging the show in the round to having more actors take on the role of Andy and Melissa, this was an incredible staging and we are fortunate that you choose to share your talents with us!

To the Audience: THANK YOU for coming to see Love Letters! We are so glad we could share this incredible story with so many of you!

We look forward to seeing you again at West Allis Central in July for Is Murder Tax Deductible?

Sincerely,
The West Allis Players

Main Stage, Previous Shows

Love Letters Cast List & Ticket Info

By: A.R. Gurney
Directed By: Stacy Madson

Performance Location:
Liberace Auditorium
5048 W. Greenfield Ave.
West Milwaukee

The Cliff Notes:
When Andrew Makepeace Ladd III accepts an invitation to Melissa Gardner’s birthday party, and Melissa writes a thank-you note to ask just why he got her “The Lost Princess of Oz” (answer: she looks like a lost princess), a romantic friendship and correspondence destined to last for almost half a century is born. Both from affluent, East Coast families — Melissa has more money, but Andy has better parents — the friends communicate with each other through angst-ridden boarding school experiences, European adventures, failed marriages, and the ups and downs of career. Over the course of their lives, Andy and Melissa’s relationship goes through many changes, as the sometimes-sweethearts/sometimes-friends go through periods of estrangement, and the intense, clandestine affair which will accelerate Melissa’s emotional breakdown. Despite the painful differences which will ultimately tear them apart, they remain each other’s most trusted confidante, and are “true lovers” on paper, if not on the earth. A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters is a tender, tragi-comic, and nuanced examination of the shared nostalgia, missed opportunities, and deep closeness of two lifelong, complicated friends.

The Cast List:

Character NameActor Name
Younger MelissaMaria Bunczak Schmidt
Younger AndrewBenjamin Binversie
Middle MelissaValentina Fox Sales
Middle AndrewLance Odom
Older MelissaAntoinette Stikl
Older AndrewPaul Weir





Production TeamTeam Member
DirectorStacy Madson
Stage ManagerSarah Moglia
Set DesignerScott Fudali / Stacy Madson
Set ConstructionScott Fudali & Cast/Crew
Lighting DesignerScott Fudali
Sound DesignerScott Fudali
Lighting TechnicianKatherine Beeson
Sound TechnicianKatherine Beeson
Props MastersStacy Madson
Box OfficeMike Jablonski



Ticket Information
Tickets can be purchased ahead of time by visiting our online ticket site here. *Note, this will open in a new tab.

Tickets can also be purchased at the door.
Adult: $18.00
Seniors: $16.00
Children (12 and under): $12.00

For any additional show questions, feel free to drop us a note at info@westallisplayers.org. See you at the show!

Main Stage, Past Auditions, Previous Shows

Audition Notice: Love Letters

for West Allis Players’ production of:
Love Letters
by A.R. Furney

February 5 & 6, 6:30 pm
Liberace Theater
West Milwaukee Intermediate School
55th and Greenfield Ave

Looking for 6 actors. 3m/3f
Ages 14 to 65+

Auditions will consist of reading from the script.  Actors are also invited to present a monologue (no need to memorize) if desired.

Show Synopsis:
Love Letters follows a couple’s relationship ebbs and flows through their writings to each other from age 8 to adulthood.  Since Love Letters requires little memorization, rehearsals will include deep character study, offering actors a chance to hone their craft with director Stacy Madson.

Character Information:
The show will be cast with three couples playing all the ages of the two characters.

Performances will be March 8, 9, 10, 2024.

For more information contact us
at info@westallisplayers.org or directorlady@att.net