JoBeth Williams and Julian Sands Star in DEAR ELIZABETH, Beginning Tonight at LATW

Three decades of an intimate letter-writing friendship between two of America's most celebrated poets, Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell, are brought to life by JoBeth Williams (Poltergeist, Fever Pitch) and Julian Sands ((Dario Argento's The Phantom of the Opera, Stephen King's Rose Red).

Sarah Ruhl's thoughtful epistolary play (directed by Rosalind Ayres) traces Bishop and Lowell's correspondence from their first letters in May 1947 to Lowell's death thirty years later. Interwoven with passages from their most famous poems, the letters reveal the trajectory of a deep but emotionally complex friendship, marked by unrequited love, failed marriages, and struggles with sexuality and depression.

Five performances only at UCLA's James Bridges Theater, tonight, July 16, through July 19, 2015 at the James Bridges Theater, located at UCLA School of Film, Theatre and Television, 235 Charles E Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (enter UCLA from Hilgard just south of Sunset Blvd.; park in Lot 3 on the lower level). Directed by Rosalind Ayres, Hollywood's and Broadway's finest will perform without sets or costumes for a later national broadcast on public radio. Casts are subject to change. To purchase tickets, call (310) 827-0889 or visit www.latw.org.

Featuring world-class actors on stage and on the air, L.A. Theatre Works has won over audiences throughout the world and collaborates with international broadcasters including the BBC, Voice of America and Radio Beijing. In the U.S., more than eight million listeners a year in 60 markets enjoy L.A. Theatre Works' weekly public radio show. Live performances at UCLA's James Bridges Theater and state-of-the art live audio recordings transform classic and contemporary stage works into intimate, compelling works of art. These invaluable recordings are available at store.latw.org. Started 40 years ago by a group of artists who were committed to creating excellence in theatre, LATW continues to expand its unique collection of recorded theatre.

L.A. Theatre Works' radio theater series can be streamed on demand at www.latw.org and can be heard on the following stations (check local listings for broadcast times): KPFK 90.7 FM, Los Angeles KALW 91.7 FM, San Francisco; KUOW 94.9 FM, Seattle; and in over 60 markets nationwide. For more information about L.A. Theatre Works, click here.

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Photo Credit: Kevin Thomas Garcia