BAC Announces Cast for Love Letters
The Beverly Arts Center’s upcoming production of “Love Letters” will feature a pair of Chicago theatre veterans. In the two-person play, Debra Rodkin will perform the role of Melissa and Rob Frankel the role of Andy. The play runs Thurs., Feb. 13 through Sun., Feb. 16 in the Beverly Arts Center Studio Theatre, 2407 W. 111th St.
“Love Letters” is the story of two childhood friends whose lifelong correspondence begins with birthday party thank-you notes and summer camp postcards. Romantically attached, they continue to exchange letters from their school years through the twilight of their lives. Each letter makes it clear how much they really meant and gave to each other over the years—physically apart but spiritually as close as only true lovers can be.
Debra Rodkin is a long-time member of Redtwist Theatre, appearing in “Six Degrees of Separation,” “The Realization of Emily Linder,” “Equus,” and “Cripple of Inishmaan” and more. Other Chicago credits include “Crossing Delancey” (MadKap), “The Rose Tattoo” (Shattered Globe), “Vieux Carre” (Raven), “Eleemosynary” (Aston Rep), “Beau Jest” (Big Noise Theatre), “Rabbit Hole” (Buffalo Theatre Ensemble), “Cat On a Hot Tin Roof” (NightBlue Theatre), and “The Brother” (Hancock Productions/Film Acres). Debra has also done a zany Webisode for “True Blood” (HBO).
Rob Frankel is a native Chicagoan but has performed in New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, North Carolina and Michigan. He works by day as a tutor teaching test prep, English and speech. By night, he is a veteran actor of over 90 plays. Chicago area credits include “Bloomsday” (Remy Bumppo), “For the Loyal” (Interrobang Project), “Laramie Project” (Aston Rep), “Moon Over Buffalo” (Brightside Theater), “The Rainmaker” (BoHo Theatre), “True West” (Shattered Globe), “Light Up the Sky” (Citadel Theatre), “A Christmas Carol” (Metropolis Performing Arts), “Be My Baby” (Steel Beam Theatre), and more. Most recently he performed as the Narrator for the Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra’s production of “Peter and the Wolf.”
The second production of the BAC’s Season of Inclusion series, “Love Letters” explores the values of diversity and equity on stage. The production is part of Chicago Theatre Week 2020, a celebration of the rich tradition of theatre-going in Chicago during which visitors and residents can access value-priced tickets.
Tickets to “Love Letters” are $24 ($22 for BAC members). Also available is the Theatre Season Flex Pass for $120 which provides theatre-goers six tickets to use any way they like over the course of the Season of Inclusion. Purchase tickets by phone at 773-445-3838 or online at https://beverlyartcenter.org/17/?noisa_events=love-letter.
