Veteran actresses Donna Lynne Champlin and Emily Skinner portray pen pals in the Off-Broadway show “Pen Pals,” which is being performed at DR2 Theatre in Manhattan.
Their two-week run in this show will wrap on Sunday, December 21st. Particularly impressive about these two actresses is that they are best friends in real life but they haven’t been on stage together in over 22 years.
“Pen Pals” was written by Michael Griffo and it was directed by SuzAnne Barabas.
This Off-Broadway show is a celebration of the everlasting power of friendship and connection through handwritten letters that span almost five decades.
In “Pen Pals,” Bernie (Donna Lynne Champlin) and Mags (Emily Skinner) live in two different places (America and Sheffield respectively), they haven’t met in person, but they are best friends through their personal and private letters to one another.
Ever since the age of 14, they’ve shared every part of their lives together, which include their innermost secrets (first crushes, relationships, and the drama that came in their personal lives, and even health and medical scares).
The Verdict
Overall, Donna Lynne Champlin and Emily Skinner deliver in the Off-Broadway play “Pen Pals” at DR2 Theatre in New York.
Donna Lynne Champlin is vibrant and energetic as Bernie, and showcases many layers to her character (serious, playful, and witty, all in one). She embodies this character in a lively fashion, while a superb Emily Skinner (who recently starred in “House of McQueen”) is a natural choice for Mags.
This pairing is a match made in theater heaven; the actresses have a great and sincere rapport with one another. They were able to touch the hearts of their viewers.
Champlin and Skinner made Bernie and Mags their own from the opening line of the well-written play, and they were able to find the humanity in them. This iteration of “Pen Pals” garnered two giant thumbs up. Nicely done.
To learn more about the Off-Broadway play “Pen Pals,” check out the official website.
For more information on Donna Lynne Champlin, follow her on Instagram.
To learn more about Emily Skinner, follow her on Instagram.
