If you could use a tale of true love enduring in the face of tremendous obstacles, Skokie’s Northlight Theatre has you covered with “Dear Jack, Dear Louise.” Ken Ludwig’s warm, gently comedic World War II-set epistolary rom-com is a soft-focus balm that’ll have you rooting for both the Army medic and the aspiring showgirl of the title.
The long-distance couple are modeled on Ludwig’s own parents, who had a lengthy written correspondence during World War II before they ever met in person. Directed by Jessica Fisch, this two-hander follows Louise, an aspiring Broadway actress, and Jack, a doctor stationed at an Army base in Medford, Oregon. The plot is much sweeter and less farcical than Ludwig’s triple-Tony winning “Lend Me a Tenor,” but it retains the playwright’s sunny optimism throughout. This is comedy, not tragedy, so it’s not a spoiler to say that there is never much doubt but that Louise (Sarah Price) and Jack (Casey Hoekstra) will eventually overcome their obstacles.
