Love Letters
February 14, 2011, Dinner @ 6pm , Performance @ 8pm
River Walk Restaurant, 14 Holmes Street, Mystic, CT 06355
The RiverWalk Restaurant is Steps from Route 1, the Mystic River Drawbridge and the Flagpole. Click here for directions
The play centers on just two characters, Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III. Using the epistolary form sometimes found in novels, they sit side by side at tables and read the notes, letters and cards - in which over nearly 50 years, they discuss their hopes and ambitions, dreams and disappointments, victories and defeats - that have passed between them throughout their separated lives.
Cast
Carolyn Paine (Melissa) received her BA in Drama from University of Hartford, where she performed in such plays as The Philadelphia Story, Noises Off and Measure for Measure. In NYC, Carolyn is an acting company member of New York Playwrights with them has performed in several Off-Broadway and festival productions at theatres including The Where Eagles Dare Theatre and Roy Arias Theatre. Later this month she will be in the premiere of "The Slash" at The Roy Arias Theatre in Times Square. She has performed Off-Broadway in NYC at the June Havoc Theatre in the revival of Maria Irene Fornes' intense drama The Conduct of Life as part of the Midtown International Theatre Festival. On stage, her regional and professional credits include working with Chelsea Rep Lab in NYC, Shakespeare Now Theatre Company in Boston, Square One Theatre in Stratford, New Works New Haven in The Crucible, Peripitus Theatre Company in the noted premiere of 3's, Park Road Playhouse in the award winning The Foreigner, and with Princebury Productions in Love Letters. She has also toured with Classical Players in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Carolyn can be found in numerous regional and national commercials and has had featured appearances on television and in independent film. She also had fun participating in the live casino tour of NBC's "Deal or No Deal" featuring Howie Mandel as a case model and has been a print model for salons and fashion ads. Additionally Carolyn is an accomplished professional dancer and choreographer. Carolyn is thrilled to be working again with Emerson Theatre Collaborative and to be performing in Love Letters again.
Production Staff
Joshua Lee Ramos (Director) is a native of Hartford, CT and a graduate of University of Hartford where he received a BA in Drama and Film. In 2008 he made his professional theatre directorial debut with Princebury Productions directing A. R. Gurney's “Love Letters” in Massachusetts. He also did the lighting design for that show that would express the changes in time and compliment the change in emotions. The show earned him critical praise for these elements as well as his direction. Joshua brought the revival of Maria Irene Fornes' "The Conduct of Life" to the Off-Broadway June Havoc Theatre as part of the Midtown International Theatre Festival in summer of 2008 as the director, lighting designer and sound designer. Additional regional professional credits include working as a director for "New Works New Britain Theatre Festival," as well as having been a lighting designer for CONNetic Dance in Hartford and for their regional tour. For his first show of 2010 he directed "Cinderella Eats Rice and Beans" for the Hartford Children's Theatre. Joshua assistant directed Emerson Theatre Collaborative’s (ETC) production of “Chestina Vanessa Poulson” alongside director Andrea Andresakis. For ETC, he has also directed Bill Corbett and Kira Obolensky's “Hate Mail” (March 2010), as well as Rebecca Gilman's “Spinning into Butter” (September 2009). Most recently as resident director for ETC, Joshua was very proud to present the New York premiere of Jacques Lamarre’s “Gray Matters” for the 11th Annual Midtown International Theatre Festival in Manhattan, which was also produced in both Mystic and Hartford, CT. Joshua is happy to be back with ETC now as assistant director alongside director/producer Camilla Ross for “Waiting for Lefty.” For more on Ramos visit www.joshualeeramos.webs.com
Camilla Ross (Producer) is the current president and founder of the Emerson Theater Collaborative, and a graduate of Emerson College in Boston. She comes with years of performing and producing credits from commercials to Regional Theater. Camilla continues to lead and shape ETC into one of the leading professional theaters in southeastern Connecticut. As an actress Camilla was last seen in the leading role of Chestina Vanessa Poulson by Melanie Greenhouse as Chessie. Previously, she was seen in John Patrick Shanley’s play “Doubt,” playing the role of Mrs. Mueller, and as Harriet Tubman in Lisa Giordano’s one woman show “Harriet Tubman’s Dream.” Camilla is a former board member and acting instructor for the Writer’s Block, Ink of New London, CT. and currently teaches as a part-time business faculty member of the Three Rivers Community College. She currently sits on the Emerson Alumni Board, and is the co-president of the CT Chapter. She would like to thank her family and friends for all their support and gives praise to God for all of the blessings.
Lisa Giordano (Publicity) is a playwright and serves on the advisory board of the Emerson Theater Collaborative. Her play “Harriet Tubman’s Dream” was produced by The Emerson Theater Collaborative in 2009 and 2010. Her play, “True Nature Of All Being,” received an Honorable Mention in the Clauder Competition, the New England Playwrights Festival held in Maine and was chosen as a finalist receiving an Honorable Mention in the International Eco-drama Playwrights Festival in California. Locally, two of her musical plays for children, “Rock Around the Sound” and “To Bee or Not To Bee and Other Bug Tales” were performed at the Garde Arts Center in New London, CT as part of their Kids On Stage program. Her plays have been work-shopped at UConn’s Avery Point Theater and have received staged readings through The Planning Stage, and by the students of The Writer’s Block, Ink where she serves on the board as Faculty Representative. Ms. Giordano is a member of the Dramatist Guild and belongs to The Writers’ Roundtable of Southeastern Connecticut.
Sarah Paolucci (Illustrator) is a freelance illustrator, designer, and artist. She received a BFA from the Hartford Art School and has studied illustration, painting, drawing and graphic design techniques from a very early age. Although illustration is her passion, Sarah is also an award-winning graphic designer. She has a successful track record creating advertising, packaging design, literature, logos and other brand-building programs for consumer and business-to-business clients. Please visit her website at www.sarahpaolucci.com for more samples of her work
Jon Capozzoli (Stage Manager) Being in theater for two years I have experienced many parts of the process. I originally worked on the technical end of theater as a sound technician, for both Into the Woods and Our Town presented by The Stonington Broad Street Bears. This year when the opportunity to become stage manager arouse at the Broad Street Bears I took it, and enjoyed the opportunity immensely. Through great recommendations from performers at the previous productions I was in, I learned of the position at Emerson Theater Collaborative. As a student the opportunity was astounding. I would like to thank my family and the people who have surrounded me in my years in theater for getting me this far.
Roy Bourque (Lighting Designer) has been lighting community theater shows for over twenty years. He has worked with Stonington Players, Chelsea Players, Three Rivers Community College, Norwich Arts Council Theater, LS Centerstage Productions, Backstage Players Company, Emerson Theater Collaborative, and others. He has also been lighting designer for the Preston Community Chorus, Luis Pabon Dance Arts Center, and the Miss Connecticut Pageant. His most ambitious lighting project was an outdoor theater production “Benedict Arnold: A Brave Revenge” produced by John Basinger at Washington Park in Groton, CT.
