Running lines in Jennifer Goselin’s house in Northfield, Dee Herrera and Dominic Baird seemed to have a great deal of chemistry as they prepared for the Feb. 16 production of “Love Letters.”
That’s good — otherwise, the car ride home could be a bit awkward.
Herrera and Baird are real-life partners portraying Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III in the A.R. Gurney play about two childhood friends who become romantically attached and correspond through the written word their entire lives. The story follows the star-crossed lovers from early childhood through adulthood.
The final letter, penned by Ladd, is said to be particularly heart-wrenching, enough so that it reduced Herrera and Baird to tears the first time they read it, exemplifying the raw intimacy real couples can bring to a production.
“It’s interesting. I think that’s one of the reasons why it hit me so hard reading it the first time,” Baird said, taking a break from rehearsing with Herrera for Arena Civic Theatre’s upcoming show.
“It made me cry,” Herrera said. “I’m sitting here, listening to him, and I’m like, ‘Oh, no, don’t cry!’”
Baird, 48, and Herrera, 54, are slated to hit the stage at 2 p.m in the Whiteman Room of The Episcopal Church of Saints James and Andrew in Greenfield, the town they call home. But they aren’t the only real-life lovers set to read Gurney’s words on Saturday, two days after Valentine’s Day. Marvin and Sue Shedd of Bernardston are scheduled to go on at 6 p.m.
“I think it’s a good thing in that you have that comfort level already … as opposed to doing it with someone you don’t really know,” Sue Shedd said. “We’ve enjoyed it. It’s a good show.”
Jennifer Goselin, who is directing and producing the show with Maggie Duprey, said members of the Greenfield-based nonprofit organization’s board of directors said someone a few years ago floated the idea of having real-life couples portray on-stage lovers, and the 15-member board voted unanimously late last year to select “Love Letters.”
Rehearsals started in January. There were no auditions; instead, the couples simply expressed interest in the roles, and Goselin and Duprey liked the idea of having people heavily involved in local theater perform the parts.
“Each couple does it a little different, brings a slightly different angle and different approach to the characters,” Goselin said. “It’s great to hear letters read by people who have a closeness.”
The thought was that such a sweet, passionate play would coincide nicely with Valentine’s Day.
The play’s two characters are born into money and privilege and become lifelong friends during childhood. They keep in touch through letters as life goes on, with Andy excelling at Yale University and then law school, and Melissa flunking out of a series of “good schools.”
Melissa marries while Andy is serving in the Korean War, though her fondness for him remains strong and they continue to exchange letters. Andy eventually marries, becomes a successful attorney and gets elected to the U.S. Senate. The two share a brief affair, though they realize it is too late for them.
Sue Shedd, 57, said this will be one of the first times she and her husband play characters who are romantically involved. The only exception was a different production in which Marvin Shedd played the father of Sue’s illegitimate child. Marvin Shedd said the casting makes for a great dynamic.
“It’s pretty cool, and we had done shows together before, but this is probably the first time we’ve had dialogue or direct contact on stage,” he said. “It should work. That’s the theory behind it.”
Sue and Marvin Shedd rehearsed lines in Goselin’s house Monday, moving into a separate room with Duprey when Baird and Herrera arrived so both couples could concentrate and get tailored feedback. Baird and Herrera ran lines in front of Goselin, who followed along with her own copy of the script.
The three were careful to remove certain language — like one particular reference to a Japanese female — that hasn’t aged particularly well since Gurney wrote the play in the 1980s. The play’s characters are adolescents during World War II and their correspondence lasts nearly 50 years.
Baird and Herrera said they have replaced some harmful words that serve no purpose while being careful to not affect the authentic diction of the time period.
As if to make you wonder who’s writing this stuff, Baird and Herrera’s lines about a character’s cat were nearly interrupted when Goselin’s feline Wicket (named after an Ewok from the “Star Wars” franchise) hopped onto the table for attention. Herrera demonstrated that she has mastered the art of petting Wicket while not losing her place in the script.
Goselin said there will not be much of a set for the production in the intimate space of the Whiteman Room. The actors will be on stools a short distance from one another.
Baird said “Love Letters” is quite poignant, even though it is written as a series of documents.
“I like it a lot,” he said. “Given that it’s designed as a staged reading, it’s surprisingly moving.”
His partner agreed.
“It’s actually really wonderful. It’s very well-written,” Herrera said.
She said “Love Letters” can speak to anyone who has suffered heartbreak or has questioned the path not taken.
“It’s about relationships and how it’s not all peaches and cream,” she said. “There are bumps in the road in everybody’s relationship.”
She and Baird have been together nearly 26 years. Herrera said the lovebirds met while participating in a live action role-playing game, or LARPing. Baird played a masked man who robbed Herrera’s tavern.
“He was so cute,” Herrera said.
She and Baird said the play’s letters remind them of the roller coaster they’ve been on for a quarter-century and how lucky they are that their partners are also their best friends.
But because Baird is good at making Herrera laugh, it can sometimes be a challenge to get through lines.
“When he’s reading, it makes me laugh sometimes and I’m not supposed to do that,” Herrera said. “So I’m trying to get past that.”
The Shedds, who have been married 32 years, met at The Scotch Mist, a former club in Greenfield, and they eventually worked together at Phoenix Home Life Mutual Insurance Company.
Marvin Shedd, 63, said the play is deep, but covers a lot of ground by including some humor. He said he enjoys rehearsing, but can’t wait to perform in front of people. He explained that though he does not go off script, a crowd’s reaction can change an actor’s delivery and timing.
“Get me in front of an audience. That’s where I want to be,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a fun show. We’re hoping to get some people in there and make them feel the emotion that the script calls for.”
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door, or reserved in advance by calling or texting 413-233-4368. Light refreshments will be available for purchase at the show. More information about Arena Civic Theatre is available at arenacivictheatre.org or on the organization’s Facebook page.
Domenic Poli joined the Greenfield Recorder in 2016. He covers Sunderland, Whately, Conway and Deerfield. He can be reached at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.