Two years ago, I opened a box that would change my life. Inside were hundreds of love letters my grandparents wrote to each other the summer they met in 1956 Brooklyn. In those letters, I discovered a version of my grandmother I’d never known — a young playwright fresh out of Columbia University’s MFA program, brimming with passion, wit, and ambition.
What surprised me most were the ways I saw myself in her: her longing for the theatre, her questions about love and purpose, her hunger to create. She never got to chase that dream fully. But somehow, through these letters, I felt her nudging me forward.
That discovery became Letters to Joan, a play that has taken me on the wildest journey of my life. I’ve spent the past two years writing, producing, and now stepping into the story as an actor. We’ve found an incredible team — Kevin Cahill as my co-star, and Martavius Parrish, who has brought Broadway brilliance (Into the Woods, Once Upon a Mattress) to the director’s chair.
This August, we debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025. I couldn’t be more excited (or nervous!) to share this story, which is as much about her dreams as it is about mine.
This is just the beginning. Over the next month, I’ll share moments from our NYC rehearsals, our shows, and the mad, beautiful chaos of bringing a show to Edinburgh Fringe.
xx
Samantha Streit
Tickets: Get your tickets here
Follow along:
- Instagram & TikTok: @letterstojoanplay
- Website: https://letterstojoanplay.carrd.co
