Dear Elizabeth at Smith Opera House

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Dear Mr. Lowell...Dear Miss Bishop...Dear Robert...Dear Elizabeth...

In recent months The Smith Opera House has re-opened its doors to welcome audiences for film, music, dance, and history tours. On July 22 & 23 at 7:30, live theatre returns to the stage with the play 'Dear Elizabeth' by Sarah Ruhl produced by Missing Marquee Theatre as a benefit for The Smith. 'Dear Elizabeth' by Sarah Ruhl resurrects the 35-year friendship between Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell, two iconic American poets. Known for her soaring theatrical style, Ruhl evocatively captures the waves of love, grief, struggle, and compassion that indelibly marked this enduring friendship. Spanning several continents (and marriages), Bishop and Lowell's affection for each other pales only in comparison to their fondness for language and poetry itself. Robert Lowell was well-known for establishing the genre of confessional poetry. Elizabeth Bishop is often remembered for her signature poem 'One Art,' which begins with the refrain "The art of losing isn't hard to master." 'Dear Elizabeth' offers a glimpse into Bishop and Lowell's intense friendship over the years, woven together through their letters and poetry. Ruhl's play also raises timeless questions about the purpose of art, the toll of a creative life, and struggles with mental illness and addiction. Beginning in the 1940s and ending in the late 1970s, Dear Elizabeth brings poetry to life through imagistic language and playful staging. This is a play for lovers of poetry, writers of letters, or anyone that has experienced a lifelong friendship or profound loss. This production of 'Dear Elizabeth' is dedicated to the memory of Larry Ann Evans, who graced The Smith Opera House stage for many, many years.

'Dear Elizabeth' marks The Smith's return to live theatre, produced by many of the same artists who have brought Celebrate The Smith: An Immersive Theatre Event (to mark the 125th anniversary of the opera house) and Finger Lakes Photo/Plays to Geneva audiences over the last several years. Missing Marquee Theatre brings this epistolary friendship to life under the direction of Ingrid Keenan and with original sound design by Kelly Walker. Karen Goulet stage manages. Bishop and Lowell are portrayed by Chris Woodworth and Charles King.

Ingrid Keenan studied Drama at the University of Toronto, and directed, wrote, translated and produced many plays with her own company and other independent theatre companies in Toronto, Montreal, and Hamilton. Since moving to Geneva, she has directed or written for each iteration of Finger Lakes Photo/Plays, as well as directing for Headless Sullivan (The Lesson, Death and the Maiden). Kelly Walker has been the Resident Sound Designer for HWS Theatre for eight years, designing sound and projections and composing original scores for over two dozen productions. He has also served as Associate Producer for Finger Lakes Photo/Plays and Celebrate The Smith. Kelly is the local voice of Morning Edition on WEOS Finger Lakes Public Radio. Karen Goulet has previously appeared in Geneva Theatre Guild productions at The Smith. She has also worked on Finger Lakes Photo/Plays as a stage manager. Charles King studied Renaissance drama at Yale and the Folger Shakespeare Library, and has appeared in many plays, operas, and musicals since moving to Geneva in 2001. A book editor by trade, he directs the a cappella group "So Noted" and is a volunteer with various civic organizations in and around Geneva. Chris Woodworth is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. For The Smith Opera House, she is the creator and producer of Finger Lakes Photo/Plays, Celebrate The Smith: An Immersive Theatre Event, the History Tours, and the Ghost Light Tours YouTube series. Since her return to Geneva in 2013 she has directed for HWS Theatre, Headless Sullivan Theatre, Geneva Theatre Guild, and the Geneva Historical Society.

'Dear Elizabeth' runs for only two performances, Thursday July 22 & Friday July 23 at 7:30. Doors open at 7:00. The production runs approximately two hours with one 15-minute intermission. Tickets are $18 for adults and $10 for students (College and K-12), additional fees apply. All proceeds to benefit The Smith. The seating will be general admission, first-come, first-serve, and all attendees are required to adhere to The Smith's latest COVID-19 policies and protocols. Concessions will be available for purchase during the performance. 'Dear Elizabeth' is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://thesmith.org or call The Smith (315-781-5483). For additional information on this production of Dear Elizabeth, follow @missingmarquee on Instagram or https://www.facebook.com/Dear-Elizabeth-produced-by-Missing-Marquee-Theatre-108062684856096 on Facebook. The trailer for the production can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/BXLP-KmlZUA.

Authors

• Sarah Ruhl

Charles King and Chris Woodworth appear as Robert Lowell and Elizabeth Bishop in 'Dear Elizabeth' by Sarah Ruhl at the Smith Opera House in Geneva, NY, July 22 and 23, 2021.

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