Actors Katharine Ross and Sam Elliott, married since 1984, have worked together several times in television and film since they first met on the film set of “The Legacy,” in 1978. But they have never shared the stage.
That will change next week, when the longtime Malibu residents appear at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica on June 29 for a one-night-only performance of A.R. Gurney’s “Love Letters,” to raise funds to renovate the Malibu Playhouse.
Ross said she and Elliott were able to bring their shared experience to the play, which traces the arc of a love story between two characters that begins in 1st grade and continues into middle age.
“Even though it’s not the story of our lives, there is a lot we can relate to,” she said.
Elliott agreed that their innate familiarity brings a lot that is unspoken to the performance.
“It’s kind of universal, this tale,” he said. “I draw on some of my relationship with Katharine, but everyone has that ‘one’ in the past, that first love at some point in time.”
“Love Letters,” first produced in 1988 and nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, is written in epistolary form, and usually staged with the two characters sitting side by side, reading their letters to each other written over a 50-year span.
Melissa Gardner (Ross) is the spoiled, neglected, but artistic, daughter of a rich alcoholic who would rather find a new husband than raise her child. Andrew Makepeace Ladd (Elliott) is the upper middle-class scion of a family whose rectitude and social responsibility lead him to political life. Their bond over a half-century waxes and wanes, but a deeper love always runs like an electric undercurrent throughout.
“Despite its simplicity, it’s a tricky piece to perform and is entirely dependent on the chemistry between the two actors,” says Malibu Playhouse Artistic Director Gene Franklin Smith. “Katharine of course, is famous for her iconic portrayal of rebellious Elaine Robinson (in “The Graduate”), and is perfectly suited to play Gurney’s feisty and troubled heroine. Sam brings his characteristic earthiness and sexy charisma and voice to the stuffed-shirt hero of the play.”
Malibu Playhouse made some inroads toward its f inancial goals with its Indiegogo campaign last month, raising more than $16,000 toward a goal of $50,000 to begin badly needed renovations of the aging theater. Due to the renovations, “Love Letters” is being performed at the Edye Second Space at the Broad Theatre in Santa Monica, which seats about 150.
“It’s a perfect venue for this show,” said Dianne Namm, who is directing the play. “It’s really intimate and the acoustics are perfect for catching every nuance.”
Elliott said the staging is accommodating to an actor like him, who has seen many years pass since he last worked on stage, back when he worked at civic theatres in Portland, Ore. before coming to Los Angeles and plunging into film work.
“I have a lack of memory,” Elliott admitted. “I’m terrified of getting on stage in front of an audience.”
Ross has worked on stage in recent years locally (most recently in Namm’s production of “Judgment at Nuremberg” at Santa Monica Playhouse), but she too saw a long stretch of her career focused only on film. As a young actor, she studied at The Actor’s Workshop in San Francisco. During those years, she was cast by John Houseman as Cordelia in his production of “King Lear,” and appeared in Jean Genet’s “The Balcony.”
Ross likened the staging of “Love Letters” to working in radio, where an audience discovers the characters through their voices.
“Gurney was very specific about how to do it,” Ross said. “It’s definitely all in the reading.”
Each said their hopes for the future of the Playhouse is spurring them on.
“There is such a wealth of talent here in Malibu,” Ross said. “You don’t have to commit a huge part of your life to a production, so it becomes more of an artistic adventure than a commercial effort.”
“We need Malibu Playhouse to hold on to some kind of culture here,” Elliott said. “This facility is worth supporting and I’m happy to be a part.”
“Love Letters” will be per formed at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, the Edye Second Space at the Broad Theater, 1310 11th Street, Santa Monica, at 7:30 p.m. on Sat., June 29. Tickets for this exclusive event are $85 for general admission and $125 for a VIP experience that includes a post-show “meet-and-greet” catered wine reception. For tickets go to malibuplayhouse.org.