Emmy and Tony-nominated actress Veanne Cox chatted about starring in the Off-Broadway show “Pen Pals,” where she is working opposite Melissa Gilbert (“Little House of the Prairie”).
“Pen Pals” was written by Michael Griffo and it was directed by SuzAnne Barabas. It is being performed at the DR2 Theatre in Manhattan. Cox plays the role of Mags, opposite Emmy nominee Melissa Gilbert, who portrays Bernie.
The play is a celebration of the endearing power of friendship between two women (Bernie and Mags) and connection through handwritten letters that span nearly 50 years.
‘Pen Pals’ experience
On being a part of “Pen Pals,” Cox remarked, “I am having the most wonderful time. I love the theater so much! Doing this for two weeks is a marvelous thing, but it will be over on Sunday, January 4th.”
Most recently, Melissa Gilbert proclaimed her “Pen Pals” co-star Veanne Cox as “genius.” “That was very nice of her,” Cox said. “I feel the same way about Melissa. Seriously, working with her is such a treat! What has made it extra special is that Melissa and I are having a great time together on stage.”
“Melissa is a grounded, talented, generous, smart actress and I am in awe of her,” Cox said, returning the compliment.
Playing Mags in ‘Pen Pals’
On playing Mags, Cox said, “I really love playing Mags! People are coming up to me and Melissa after the show and they tell us, ‘You both are awesome!’ That means so much to us!”
Lessons learned from this play
On the lessons learned from this play, Cox reflected, “Well, I think, basically, what it reminded me of is that we all have a shared humanity. It just reminded me that my life is not special. In this show, I’m not really an actress, I am just a human being.”
“I’m just every woman — obviously, within the context of being a British girl who grew up in Sheffield — but we all go through it, and the audience goes through it with us, so it doesn’t feel like we are acting,” Cox elaborated.
“In some way, it feels just very human, and it reminded me that I am not special in having the experiences that I’ve had in my own life because everybody has them,” Cox acknowledged.
“As the characters Bernie and Mags evolve over time, the world around them evolves as well during those 40 to 50 years that they write letters to each other,” she noted.
“It’s a really nice woven tapestry. I like to think of it that way because like a tapestry, it is very delicate,” she explained.
‘My First Ex-Husband’
From January 8 to 11th, 2026, Cox is looking forward to returning to the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center (MMAC) for the Off-Broadway play “My First Ex-Husband,” where she will be working alongside Judy Gold and Joy Behar, for a total of five performances.
“It’s going to be just the three of us… Joy, Judy and myself,” Cox said. “I just went to see Judy’s New Year’s Eve show, ‘A Very Jewdy Christmas,’ and it was hilarious. It was really funny, and Judy was wonderful.”
“I love Judy and we’re going to have a good time together with Joy,” Cox said. “I am so grateful to the show ‘My First Ex-Husband’ for employing me this past year. That show took me to several different places such as Long Island and Boston.”
“I am very grateful to Joy Behar and the producer Rose Caiola,” she said, effusively. “Hopefully, there will be more traveling this year with this show.”
To learn more about veteran actress Veanne Cox, follow her on Instagram and visit her official website.
Read More: “Pen Pals” review starring Melissa Gilbert and Veanne Cox.
