(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- George Street Playhouse plans to sweep audiences off their feet when they return to live theatre with Ken Ludwig's Dear Jack, Dear Louise a new romantic comedy directed by David Saint -- on stage at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center October 26 through November 21. Set during World War II this charming love story chronicles a long distance romance between a young soldier and his sweetheart, a young actress on Broadway.
“This funny, touching, patriotic and uplifting story, based on the playwright’s parents, is the perfect “Welcome Home to George Street Playhouse,” said Director David Saint. Come fall in love with live theatre all over again.”
Theatre Audiences world-wide have fallen in love with Tony Award winner Ken Ludwig’s comedies including the Lend Me a Tenor and recent regional theatre hit Murder on the Orient Express. Dear Jack, Dear Louise, his own personal valentine to his parents and their war-time courtship, premiered at Arena Stage in 2019 to great acclaim and audience adoration.
Playing the titular Jack Ludwig is Bill Army, who appeared on Broadway in the original company of The Band’s Visit (Tony Award for Best Musical, Grammy Award). Other productions include Act One at Lincoln Center, Relatively Speaking on Broadway opposite Marlo Thomas. All’s Well That Ends Well and Measure for Measure at the Delacorte and The Changeling at Red Bull Theater. His film and television credits include Deadbeat (Hulu) and COHAB (YouTube).
Amelia Pedlow plays Louise Rabiner. Her Off Broadway and regional work includes the World Premiere of Dear Jack, Dear Louise at Arena Stage, Intelligence (NYTW Next Door Series), The Metromaniacs, and Tis Pity She’s a Whore at Red Bull Theater. Other credits include Playing with Fire at The Guthrie, Red Velvet at the Old Globe, Ether Dome at La Jolla Playhouse, Hartford Stage and The Huntington. Her television appearances include The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, Shades of Blue and The Black List.
George Street Playhouse is pleased to welcome back a roster of award winning designers including Jim Youmans, Set and Projection Designer; Joe Saint, Lighting Designer; Lisa Zinni, Costume Designer; Scott Killian, Sound Design. Kristin Pfeifer is the Stage Manager. Casting is by Pat McCorkle, McCorkle Casting.
The production is sponsored by Philip and Melinda Raso Kirstein.
Tickets are now on sale starting at $25 at www.georgestplayhouse.org. Season subscriptions are also available on line at a discount of up to 20% off regular ticket prices.
COVID SAFETY INFORMATION: George Street Playhouse and The New Brunswick Performing Arts Center are guided by CDC guidelines and the state of New Jersey for our policies in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting the health of our audiences, staff, volunteers, artists and their production teams.
Beginning September 1, patrons attending any performance at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC) must show proof of vaccination via a vaccine card, or proof through NJ’s Docket App (which can be downloaded from the app store on your phone). If not vaccinated, you must present a Negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance date.
All patrons are required to wear masks at all times while inside the venue. This includes children who have not been vaccinated. This policy will be re-evaluated in November 2021.
Under the leadership of Artistic Director David Saint since 1997, and Kelly Ryman -- Managing Director since 2013, George Street Playhouse produces groundbreaking new works, inspiring productions of the classics, and hit Broadway plays and musicals that speak to the heart and mind, with an unwavering commitment to producing new work. As New Brunswick’s first producing theatre, George Street Playhouse became the cornerstone of the revitalization of the City’s arts and cultural landscape. With its 45-year history of producing nationally renowned theatre, the Playhouse continues to fill a unique theatre and arts education role in the city, state and greater metropolitan region.
Beginning with the 2019-20 Season, George Street Playhouse moved to the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in downtown New Brunswick. Featuring two state-of-the-art theatres -- The Arthur Laurents Theater with 253 seats and The Elizabeth Ross Johnson Theater which seats 465-- and myriad amenities, the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center marks a new era in the esteemed history of George Street Playhouse.
Founded by Eric Krebs, George Street Playhouse, originally located in an abandoned supermarket on the corner of George and Albany Streets, was the first professional theatre in New Brunswick. In 1984, the Playhouse moved to a renovated YMCA on Livingston Avenue, and in 2017 took temporary residence in the former Agricultural Museum at Rutgers University during construction of its new home.
The Playhouse has been well represented by numerous productions both on and off-Broadway. In 2018, George Street Playhouse was represented on Broadway with Gettin’ the Band Back Together which premiered on the Playhouse mainstage in 2013. American Son, produced by George Street Playhouse in 2017, opened on Broadway in 2018 starring Kerry Washington and Stephen Pasqual, and will appear on Netflix. Other productions include the Outer Critics’ Circle Best Musical Award-winner The Toxic Avenger. In 2015, It Shoulda Been You opened on Broadway and Joe DiPietro’s Clever Little Lies opened off-Broadway. Both shows received their premieres at the Playhouse. Others include the Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Drama League nominated production of The Spitfire Grill; and the Broadway hit and Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning play Proof by David Auburn, which was developed at the Playhouse during the 1999 Next Stage Series of new plays.
In addition to the mainstage season, the Playhouse’s education department provides extensive programming for children, youth and adults. Partnering with administrators and educators throughout New Jersey, the Playhouse provides unique education experiences that both reinforce classroom curriculum and investigate issues such as bullying, diversity, immigration, health and wellness, and the rising epidemic of opioid addiction.
George Street Playhouse programming is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund.
