A Love Letter to Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara

Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross Star in a Benefit Performance of AR Gurney’s Famous Play ‘Love Letters’

By Leslie Dinaberg Tue Jan 09, 2024 | 12:00pm

The Family Ties continue to bond actors Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross, who will come together for a very special one-time benefit performance of Love Letters in support of Ensemble Theatre Company.

Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross as they appeared in the 1980s sitcom ‘Family Ties’ | Photo: Courtesy

The January 27 matinee event brings the two beloved actors — who played husband and wife in the popular TV sitcom, which ran from 1982 to 1989 and also starred Michael J. Fox and Justine Bateman — for the timeless AR Gurney play, which unfolds through a series of letters exchanged over a lifetime between two people who grew up together, went their separate ways, but continued to share confidences.

“Love Letters is a tribute not only to the lost art of pen, paper, and letter-writing, but to a lifetime of friendship between two complex individuals, not to mention the four decades of friendship I have shared with Meredith — both on and off the stage,” said Gross.

The oft-performed play has a wistful tone. Because the two characters choose others as mates, and live to regret it, beneath the sparkling storytelling is also a mixture of sadness and remorse. Love Letters was first performed at the New York Public Library with author AR Gurney and Holland Taylor as the stars. “They asked me to give a speech, but we did the play instead,” and the literati liked it, said Gurney.

It opened at the Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, in 1988, starring Joanna Gleason and John Rubinstein and has gone on to become a performance favorite for busy big-name actors — frequently as a benefit, such as the one for ETC — for it requires little preparation, and lines need not be memorized — although in the case of Baxter and Gross, they probably know most of them.

“Our first performance of Love Letters was in the mid-1980s, and here we are in 2024. We have traveled half a lifetime all around the country, getting to share this beautiful story. What good fortune,” said Baxter, a longtime ETC supporter.

Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter are set to star in ‘Love Letters’ as a benefit for Ensemble Theatre Company on January 27. | Photo: Courtesy

“Their chemistry on stage is undeniable as they bring AR Gurney’s words to life in this unforgettable one-time performance,” said ETC Executive Director Scott DeVine. “It is truly a special moment for ETC as we welcome Meredith Baxter, an amazing member of our Board of Directors, back to our stage along with Michael Gross for this special performance of Love Letters to benefit our theater company.”

Love Letters, starring Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross, takes place on Saturday, January 27 at 2 p.m. at the New Vic Theatre (33 W. Victoria St.). VIP Tickets are $400 and include an exclusive post-show reception with Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross (this includes a $250 contribution to support ETC’s mission). General tickets are $40-$100. See etcsb.org or call (805) 965-5400 for more information or to purchase tickets.