Powerhouse Theatre
Waveny Park
679 South Avenue, New Canaan 06840
Directed by Stratford’s Tom Holehan
Two Women. Two Countries. Fifty Years of Friendship.
They’ve been best friends for more than 50 years. They’ve shared marriages, children, careers, triumphs, disappointments, secrets, laughter and heartbreak.
There’s just one remarkable thing: they’ve never met.
Following its celebrated Off-Broadway run, Michael Griffo’s Pen Pals comes to the historic Powerhouse Theatre in Waveny Park for one weekend only, October 15–18.
Opening night, Thursday, October 15, will be a special evening at the Powerhouse. Playwright Michael Griffo will attend the performance and join the audience for a post-show talkback, with wine and bites served as part of the evening.
Pen Pals is a funny and moving celebration of friendship and the extraordinary connections that can shape our lives.
Bernie lives in the United States. Mags lives in England. They begin writing to each other as teenagers and simply never stop. Over the next five decades, their letters become a chronicle of two lives—adolescence, marriage, careers, children, milestones and loss.
Through it all, Bernie and Mags share things with each other they wouldn’t dare tell another soul. Though separated by an ocean, they become closer to each other than almost anyone else in their lives. At its heart, Pen Pals asks a wonderfully simple question: What does it mean to have someone in your life who truly knows you?
Fans of A.R. Gurney’s “Love Letters” will recognize the intimacy of two lives revealed through correspondence, but Pen Pals brings its own warmth, humor and perspective to a friendship between two women that spans more than half a century.
Directed by Tom Holehan, Pen Pals stars Lucy Babbitt, Stratford resident and 2025 CT BroadwayWorld award-winning actor, and Deborah Burke, Town Players’ Creative Director and a member of its Board of Directors. “It’s funny, touching and wonderfully human. It reminds you how extraordinary it is to have someone in your life who has known you through all its chapters. There will be plenty of laughter—and probably a few tears,” offers Babbitt. Burke adds, “I was lucky enough to see Pen Pals during its New York run and knew it was something I wanted our audiences at the Powerhouse to experience”.
Critics have praised the play for its humor, humanity and emotional impact:
“A story that celebrates lifelong friendship with humor, humanity, and heartfelt emotion.”
— DC Theater Arts
“Utterly absorbing, packing an emotional punch.”
— NJArts.net
ONE WEEKEND ONLY — OCTOBER 15–18
Performances are Thursday, October 15 through Saturday, October 17 at 7:30 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, October 18. The show is 90 minutes with no intermission.
SPECIAL OPENING NIGHT — THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15
Playwright Michael Griffo will attend the performance and take part in a special post-show talkback, with wine and bites served as part of the evening. Tickets are now on sale at ThePowerhouseTheatre.org.
ABOUT TOWN PLAYERS OF NEW CANAAN
Celebrating its 80th Season, Town Players of New Canaan (TPNC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theatre producing great local theatre at the Powerhouse Performing Arts Center in Waveny Park.
BUILDING THE NEXT ACT
TPNC is also building for the future with a capital campaign to expand the Powerhouse Performing Arts Center and create new opportunities for performance, theatre arts education and community programming. Learn more and support the campaign at TPNC.org.
Tickets: ThePowerhouseTheatre.org
Questions: TICKETS@tpnc.org
Voicemail: 203-594-3636
There’s Power in Community Theatre !
