Grosse Pointe Theatre Presents a Play About Books, Distance and Friendship

St. Clair Shores Peter DiSante is joined by Elizabeth Perkin Moen, of Harper Woods, in playing the leads in Grosse Pointe Theatre's presentation of "84 Charing Cross Road."  

The play, directed by Grosse Pointe Woods resident Ron Bernas, was adapted by James Roose Evans from a book by Helene Hanff, according to a release. 

The story is based on the actual correspondence between New Yorker Hanff, a television writer and book lover, and Londoner Frank Doel, who ran an antiquarian bookstore at 84 Charing Cross Road. The real life Helene Hanff saw an ad in the Saturday Literature Review and initiated a correspondence with Frank Doel, the resident bibliophile in 1949. Though originally focused on a mutual love of literature, their letters soon became filled with more personal details, leading to a long-distance friendship that spanned nearly two decades. 

The show opens on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2pm, with additional performances Nov/ 14-17 and Nov. 21-23,. Sunday shows are at 2pm, Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are at 8pm. 84 Charing Cross Road is staged in the Fries Auditorium of the Grosse Pointe War Memorial, 32 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan 48236.

Tickets for 84 Charing Cross Road are $18. Group and student rates are available. For tickets and information call 313-881-4004, or visit the Grosse Pointe Theatre ticket office, 315 Fisher Road, Grosse Pointe, Monday through Friday, 10am-1pm. Tickets may also be purchased on line at www.gpt.org (click on tickets). There is a $3 per ticket surcharge for online ticket orders.