LOVE LETTERS Comes to ABT Sept 28

Alberta Bair Theater's First Interstate Bank Fox Series kicks off on Friday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m. with A.R. Gurney's Pulitzer-nominated two person play Love Letters, featuring Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter, who starred as the parents in the 1980's hit sitcom Growing Pains.

Gross and Baxter bring a unique chemistry from years of acting together to these roles of childhood friends Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner, both born to wealth and position, whose lifelong correspondence begins with birthday party thank-you notes and summer camp postcards.

The story follows their exchanged letters through their college years-where Andy goes on to excel at Yale and law school and Melissa flunks out of a series of "good schools." While Andy is off at war Melissa marries, but her attachment to Andy remains strong and she continues to keep in touch as he marries, becomes a successful attorney, gets involved in politics and, eventually, is elected to the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, her marriage in tatters, Melissa dabbles in art and gigolos, drinks more than she should, and becomes estranged from her children. Eventually she and Andy do become involved in a brief affair, but it is really too late for both of them. However, Andy's last letter, written to her mother after Melissa's untimely death, makes it eloquently clear how much they really meant, and gave, to each other over the years-physically apart, perhaps, but spiritually as close as only true lovers can be.

This performance of Love Letters is sponsored by First Interstate Bank, Home2 Suites & Hilton Garden Inn, KULR 8 and NewsTalk 95.5. Tickets, $40/$30 and $20 for students with valid I.D., are available at the Alberta Bair Theater Box Office on the corner of 3rd Ave N and N Broadway, by phone at 406-256-6052 (box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10-5; Saturday 10-3) and/or online at www.albertabairtheater.org.