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The Lady With All the Answers
by David Rambo An evening with America’s favorite advice columnist Come join us in the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater for an intimate night with America’s favorite advice columnist, Eppie Lederer. You may know her better as Ann Landers, or even THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS. In this hilarious and touching one-woman show, Rep Resident Company Member Laura Gordon gives a tour-de-force performance as “America’s mother.” If you enjoyed Laura in DOUBT and MARY STUART, just wait until you see her tackle this sharp, funny, yet deeply human role, created lovingly by David Rambo with the cooperation of Margo Howard, Eppie’s daughter. THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS was first performed in 2005 at The Old Globe in San Diego and we’re thrilled to be hosting the Milwaukee-area premiere. Eppie Lederer, under the name of “Ann Landers,” wrote her syndicated advice column for over 45 years, reaching millions of readers. The combination of her sense of humor, no-nonsense tone and profound compassion quickly made her an American institution. She began her career without any experience in journalism, but with an energetic sense of empathy and a strong desire to effect positive change. She was well known for her volunteer efforts and her political activism. A well-connected woman, she used these resources to enrich her column and the quality of her advice. The job did not always come so easily, however. In an interview for Time, she recalls the challenges of the early years: “You don’t have to have lived through an immense amount of agony and pain in order to relate to people who are suffering. I really care about what happens to people, and when I first began to read those letters, it was an eye-opener. I came from a very solid Midwestern Jewish home. You see, I led a very sheltered life. I had never seen a man hit his wife. I had never seen any drunkenness. I had never seen any poverty. . . . The mail grew me up in a hurry.” In Rambo’s play, we see a grown up Lederer, at the pinnacle of her wit and wisdom. On a summer night in 1975, 20 years into her post as Ann Landers, Eppie is as effervescent as ever, quipping away, even as she struggles to write the most difficult column of her career. Humbled by the task at hand, Eppie is determined to share a difficult life change with her readers, but doesn’t quite know where to begin. So what happens when the lady with all the answers draws a blank? She pulls an all-nighter, complete with a bubble bath, frequent spritzes of Chanel No. 5 and a chocolate . . . or three. Putting off her difficult charge, she reminisces with the audience. Between humorous anecdotes, somber memories and impromptu polls of the audience, we are reminded all over again of the enormous impact she has had on American culture. From the most serious of social issues to the question of cleaning in the nude, she had her finger on the pulse of the country and the pulse of the audience. When at last she bites the bullet, sits at her typewriter and shares her news, it is with elegance and respect, for herself, her family and her readers. After all, she writes, “you, my readers, are also my friends.” Milwaukee Rep is proud to present a play that is as funny as it is heartfelt, featuring one of our most beloved actors. Whether you were a frequent reader or not, Gordon’s performance as the lady with all the answers is bound to leave you feeling like a loyal follower of Landers’ column. She once said, “I would rather have my column on a thousand refrigerator doors than win a Pulitzer.” Let’s just say that after our production, you might feel tempted to stick your program up on your refrigerator with a couple of your favorite magnets. Zoë Cohen, Literary Intern
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