Photo Flash: Ken Ludwig's DEAR JACK, DEAR LOUISE Begins Rehearsals At Arena Stage

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has begun rehearsals for the world premiere of Ken Ludwig's (Broadway's Lend Me a Tenor, Crazy For You) Dear Jack, Dear Louise.

Based on his own parents' love story, U.S. Army Captain Jacob S. Ludwig and aspiring actress, Louise Rabiner, meet through a series of letters and become pen pals. Set in 1942 during World War II, a romance begins and the two must find their way toward each other, even though they have never met. Directed by Jackie Maxwell, Dear Jack, Dear Louise runs November 21 - December 29, 2019 in the Kreeger Theater.

Arena Stage is excited to welcome back Ludwig, after his 2015 world-premiere production of Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery.

"It is particularly exhilarating to be back at Arena Stage, working with this incredible team of artists to bring the story of my parents' courtship to life for the first time," explains Ludwig. "I've written a piece that goes deep into the hearts of two young lovers during World War II, in a way that's more personal than I've ever done before."

"Ken Ludwig's work runs the gamut: from farce to epic tales of heroism. He is a master of creating big stories with human souls. Lend Me a Tenor, Baskerville, Crazy for You are some of his often-produced works. Dear Jack, Dear Louise is his newest child, and I think it's his best," shares Artistic Director Molly Smith. "This is a classic love story and Ken is bucking his own trend by writing a two-person play, based on his parents, that brings us back to a time when written letters were the most important form of communication when separated. This is a flat-out beautiful new play."

Making their Arena Stage debuts are Jake Epstein (Broadway's Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, "Degrassi") as Jacob S. Ludwig and Amelia Pedlow (Studio's Doubt, Shakespeare's Love's Labor's Lost) as Louise Rabiner.

"I am absolutely thrilled to be bringing Ken's beautiful play to theatrical life at Arena Stage," said Maxwell. "We have a fabulous cast and creative team to bring out the joy, humor and humanity of Jack and Louise's story."

In addition to Maxwell, the creative team includes Set Designer Beowulf Boritt, Costume Designer Linda Cho, Lighting Designer Jason Lyons, Original Music and Sound Design Lindsay Jones, Stage Manager Kurt Hall and Assistant Stage Manager Rachael Danielle Albert.