Letters Aloud: Thanks, But No Thanks; the greatest rejection letters of all time

Letters Aloud: Thanks, But No Thanks; the greatest rejection letters of all time

“One of the best live events of the past 3 years! Loved it!” – Audience Quote

The road to success is paved with rejection and boy oh boy, have we got the letters to prove it! Among the dozens of gems in Letters Aloud’s newest show, Stephen King receives his first rejection letter from “Spacemen Magazine”, Andy Warhol is asked to pick up his painting at the front desk before it is hauled away, Gertrude Stein gets a taste of her own repetitive medicine, a young Sidney Poitier tries to borrow $100 from President Franklin Roosevelt (he said no), and a 17-year-old college applicant rejects the rejection letter she receives from Duke University. But our rejectees don’t let the naysayers get them down. Karma and perseverance combine to hilarious and heartwarming results!

Real letters, by real people, read by professional actors. 

Since 2014, we have traveled the country sharing intimate letters written by individuals who have left their mark on history. With a power to evoke both laughter and deep emotion, these letters serve as a testament to humanity's extraordinary ability to unearth hope, purpose, and happiness amidst life’s many challenges.

With live musical accompaniment and a dynamic slideshow, a Letters Aloud evening is guaranteed to inspire! (As one fan said, “It’s a modern day ‘A prairie Home Companion’ – but with letters.”)

About the Artists

PAUL MORGAN STETLER, curator and host, is the creator and curator of Letters Aloud and a co-founder and former Artistic Director of Seattle’s multi-award-winning New Century Theatre Company. A well-known Seattle actor, Paul has appeared on numerous local stages over the past 20 years, including ACT Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Village Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Intiman Theatre, and Empty Space Theatre, as well as numerous regional theatres across the country. Previous film and television credits include “Pleasantville”, “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”, and “Seinfeld”. He holds a BA in English Literature at Cal State Northridge and an MFA in Theatre Arts from Penn State University.

JOEL SUGERMAN, reader, has been a company member of Sojourn Theatre since 2008, where he worked on the Portland, Oregon-based projects Built, On The Table, and other projects around the country. Joel teaches and directs theatre at The Wheeler School in Providence, RI. In Prague, Czech Republic, Joel performed with several theatre companies, including Divadlo Miloco, where he played Hamlet at Prague’s Globe Theatre. He has made, performed, and taught theatre in Chicago, Minneapolis, Cleveland, and a smattering of other US and European locales. Joel earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and studied at the Dell’ Arte School of Physical Theatre in California.

JADE GUERRA, reader, is a Boston based actor and educator. She is a resident company member of Actor’s Shakespeare Project where she has appeared in productions of The Taming of the Shrew, King Lear, Macbeth, and Julius Caesar. Jade is also a proud member of Theatre Espresso an educational company that tours around New England bringing history to life for children and adults.

Natasha Bergman, musician/accordionist, an accordionist, singer, actor and teacher from New York City. When she is not gigging with her beloved accordion Monica, she can be heard singing and playing keys in Brooklyn-based bands Market and Riverbed or performing with her Borscht-Belt style musical comedy duo Bergman & Bloustein.

Special Guests

This production include three extraordinary local individuals:

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  Nicole Young-Martin

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  Steve Sanderson

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  Brooke Hauser

Nicole Young-Martin (she/her) is an award-winning writer, educator, and performer based in Connecticut and Western MA. Nicole’s works spans across performance poetry, playwriting, theatre, community-centric creative practices and content creation. She is the founder, producer, and host of the podcast, Black Writers Read, which is scheduled to launch its fifth season in September. Nicole recently served as editor for A Queen’s Narrative’s Heavy is the Crown anthology and is the founder of Straw Dog Writers Guild’s Emerging Writer Fellowship. She is the recipient of several grants including from Easthampton City Arts, Northampton Open Media, and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts’ ValleyCreates initiative. Nicole received the 2024 Kent Alexander Award for Radical Imagination and a 2009 James Baldwin Memorial Fund Award for her 10-minute play, get (t)his. She serves on the board of directors for Play Incubation Collective and WAM Theatre and teaches for Bard Microllege Holyoke and UMass Amherst’s Arts Extension Services. (nicolemyoung.com)

Brooke Hauser is a longtime journalist. She is currently an arts editor and writer on staff at The Boston Globe. Previously, she was the editor of the Daily Hampshire Gazette newspaper here in Northampton. She is also the author of two books: Enter Helen: The Invention of Helen Gurley Brown and the Rise of the Modern Single Woman, winner of the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Award for Best Nonfiction Book, and The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens, a winner of the American Library Association’s Alex Award. She lives with her family in Northampton and considers herself a New Englander-in-training.

Steve Sanderson (he/him) is the son of Harold and Judith Sanderson, Dad to Hazel, husband to Bushy, and an aficionado of all kinds of pies, from pecan to pizza. He is a songwriter, and the frontman and a co-founding member of Northampton’s own Drunk Stuntmen. He rolled with Young at Heart Chorus as a band member and as the Team Manager from 2005-2017, and is now the Event Producer for the Northampton Arts Council. He also pretends to be a Disc Jockey on 93.9 the River. You can hear him on “Mornings with Steve Sanderson” on weekdays from 6-10 am.

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This event is participating in the Card to Culture Program! They will be offering 10 seats at a discounted price of $10 to any patrons with a valid EBT, WIC, or ConnectorCare card. To purchase these tickets, please visit or call the box office Tuesday through Friday between 3:00pm and 6:00pm. Limit 4 tickets per cardholder per show. Tickets are sold on a first-come-first-serve basis. Find out more at: https://massculturalcouncil.org/organizations/card-to-culture/

Fees always apply to purchase. Tickets can be purchased in person or over the phone Tuesday through Friday 3pm to 6pm. Tickets can also be purchased online at any time for no additional cost/fee. All Sales are final. If you have any questions about accessibility, please contact the box office at [email protected] or (413) 584-9032 X105.

Show Date/Time:
Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Doors at 7:00 pm

Ticket Prices:
$22.00 ($27.43 after Fees)

Where/ How Tickets Can be Purchased:
Purchase online using the button on the top right (scroll to the bottom of the page if using mobile), or you may visit or call our box office at 413-584-9032 ext.105.
Box Office Hours are 3pm - 6pm, Tuesday - Friday. Service fees always apply with purchase.