Ten years ago, Laura was a student in Alan Wells’ English class. She was uncharacteristically smart for a fifteen-year-old — perceptive and vulnerable — a dream for a flailing teacher. Now, at twenty-five, Laura has written her first novel. She’s called it Dear Mr. Wells, and Alan is the first person she wants to read it. Weaving seamlessly from present to past, Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells) burrows in the grey areas of consent. A coming-of-age story, a love story, a vindication, Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells) examines a formative relationship that both corrupts and liberates.
News & Reviews
“Napoli sets up an impressive, two-sided dramatic irony here. As the audience, we see and empathize with the misperceptions of both parties… feels so real that some moments were a bit excruciating to sit through.” — The Globe and Mail
“… there is rarely this level of nuance in the narrative of sexual assault.” — Mooney on Theatre
“Rose Napoli’s drama about a young woman’s affair with her teacher offers up complex characters and a painfully believable journey.” — NOW Magazine
“Napoli’s skill as a wordsmith shines.” — Toronto Star
About the Author
Rose Napoli is an actor and writer based out of Toronto. She was named by NOW Magazine as a top ten theatre artist and has been called a “rising star” and “an artist to watch” by the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail, respectively. She has taken part in residences with the Stratford Festival, the Musical Stage Company, Nightwood and Tarragon Theatres. She is the author of six plays, including Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells), which was nominated for a Dora Mayor Moore award for Outstanding New Play. Other works include: Legacy, A Death and the Marias, That’s Amore, Ten Creative Ways to Dispose of your Cremains, and Oregano. She is represented by Marquis Literary, is a member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada, and participated in the Canadian Film Centre’s Prime Time Television Writing Program.
Playwrights Reading
CBC PlayME Podcast – Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells)
A free audio drama version of Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells) produced by PlayME is also available from CBC Podcasts. You can listen to all three parts of Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells) as well as an interview with Rose Napoli at the links below.
