I might be a little partial to the story in Pen Pals because I am a Jersey Girl, and I live near Secaucus. And I had a pen pal when I was in grade school.
But even if I wasn't, I think anyone - especially women - would be engrossed in the correspondence between the two ladies in Pen Pals, playing at the DR2 Theatre, 103 East 15th Street at Union Square East in New York City through March 15th, 2026. When I went to see Pen Pals, Maureen McCormick (aka Marcia Brady) played the American "Bernie" and Sharon Lawrence played British "Mags".
Yes, the actors were a draw to get me to see this play. I find it excellent casting but also clever marketing to have a new cast - filled with extraordinary women - every two weeks, as actors bring so much to the role. And as they all bring something different, it's a slightly different version for the viewer each time. And I'll be going back a second time.
I have to say that both ladies were excellent in their roles. Spanning several decades, they became their characters. Maureen was not Marcia anymore (though the time period reflected similarities to the role). The same with Sharon, she was not an attorney nor a mom in a Hallmark movie she WAS Mags. .
Both delivered their lines the with just the right amount of emotion and fortitude fit with the age they were playing. Maureen mastered the North Jersey accent and Sharon did "brilliant" with her English accent. I was fully engaged in the stories of these two ladies lives.
The writer, Michael Griffo, based the show on letters he found between his mother Jean and her friend Sheila. In the show, the two ladies lives unfold, from grammar school to pretty much post-menopausal, through the letters they write to each other. Beginning with normal, every day issues like boyfriends and school things, the letters expose the lives of each of them as they go through the different stages of their lives. And you'll find surprises, these women reflected the times but also had very strong opinions and desires. It all unravels with enticing and easy-to-follow dialogue.
Being from two different worlds, they often find comradery in their beliefs, but oftentimes their beliefs - which have nothing to do with the sea that stands between them, causes turbulence in their relationship.
Pen Pals is an interesting, clever and also historical look at the lives of two ladies presented in a unique way. As a two-hander, the talents of the actors bring to life the stories of the women they are portraying. Their stories brought to attention the time in which they lived, they were strong women coming of age at a time where women were just starting to have more choices. Women of all ages will especially appreciate the trials and tribulations of the their lives and of their often complicated relationship.
As a child, I used to write letters. I wrote them to a pen pal (in school, just like the ladies), to my aunts across the country, and to my family and friends when I was away at college. This play took me back to a time that was simpler. A time without distractions. A time where people could sit down, undistracted, and pour out their thoughts onto paper. And on the receiving end, the recipient sat down undistracted to read it. Then they wrote back in the same, concentrated way. A letter to another is cathartic and also reflective. We don't get that with texting. It's the opposite - delivering a message in as few words as possible all for the sake of saving time.
Pen Pals was directed by SuzAnne Barabas. The show has partnered with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer organization to help raise funds and awareness. Visit the website to see all the talented women coming to the cast next and for tickets. https://penpalsplay.com/
YOU MAY LIKE - Feel-Good Interview with some of the Cast:
Emily Skinner
Sharna Burgess
Marcia Cross
Michele Clunie
Marilu Henner