Letters are the theme of New York-based actor and writer Samantha Streit’s new play Letters to Joan which is heading to the Edinburgh Fringe this year. The performer has taken a personal discovery, in the form of hundreds of love letters exchanged between her grandparents, and turned it into a new piece of theatre. With the concept of letter writing now very much lost to the evolution of technology, I was deeply intrigued by this story and recently had the opportunity to ask the creative some questions about how it felt to discover these and why it inspired the creation of a play.
How did you get into performing and writing?
I’ve loved performing and telling stories for as long as I can remember. From the age of five, I was performing in school shows, taking dance and singing lessons, and signing up for every theatrical activity I could find. I still remember seeing my first Broadway show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, when I was five years old. I was terrified of the Child Catcher but completely amazed that something on stage could feel so real. I remember thinking: I want to do that.
The energy and joy I feel when performing is unlike anything else in the world. It feels almost out of body and completely magical. I think I’ve always known this was what I wanted to do.
Writing was always a huge part of my life too. I loved poetry and short stories as a child, and in high school I fell even more in love with English and storytelling. But it wasn’t until halfway through university, when I wrote and performed my first one-woman show, that I realised I wanted to be both an actor and a writer. Creating something that was entirely my own was incredibly transformative. There is something so vulnerable about inviting people into a world you’ve created, but also something so rewarding.
I’m drawn to art that feels honest, raw, and deeply human. I love telling stories that scare me a little, because those are often the ones that allow you to grow most as an artist.
But maybe the simplest answer is: I got into performing and writing because of Joan (my grandma). When you see the play, you’ll understand that she is really the answer.
A few years ago you stumbled upon hundreds of love letters that your grandparents wrote when they first met. What was it about the letters that made you think this would be a great starting point for a new piece of theatre?
I felt like I had discovered something that was meant to be shared. I remember reading the first letter and immediately feeling that these words couldn’t stay hidden away in a box. They were so full of life, vulnerability, humour and love.
It felt like discovering a treasure trove. I’d always been fascinated by the idea of making theatre from something deeply personal, taking words that were originally intended for just one person and inviting an audience into that intimate world.
I knew my grandmother had studied playwriting at Columbia and had incredible opportunities as a woman in the 1950s, including being offered the chance to become one of the first female writers on The Howdy Doody Show. But I’d never actually read her writing. The moment I did, I became completely captivated by her voice. I found myself wondering why she stopped writing professionally and what dreams she had set aside.
That curiosity became the beginning of Letters to Joan. This year also marks the 70th anniversary of when Joan and my grandfather first began writing these letters, so it feels especially meaningful to be sharing them now.
To what extent has writing this piece of theatre and discovering the letters helped you learn more about your grandparents?
In every possible way. This play has allowed me to get to know my grandparents in a way I never thought possible.
They both passed away before I was eleven, so although I have memories of them, I never truly knew them as young people with dreams, fears and ambitions of their own. Through these letters, I felt like I was meeting them for the first time.
What has been most profound is how much Joan and I had in common without either of us ever knowing it. She was 23 when she wrote these letters. She had just finished her MFA in playwriting at Columbia, was living back at home for the summer, and was trying to figure out who she wanted to become.
Sixty-seven years later, I was also 23. I was living at home, trying to figure out what it meant to be an actor and writer, and wondering what kind of life I wanted to build.
Finding those letters made me feel closer to her than I ever could have imagined. It was like discovering a companion across time who understood exactly where I was. It has been one of the greatest gifts of creating this play.
During the development of the show, you were invited to read one of your grandmother’s original letters at Letters Live with Benedict Cumberbatch at the Royal Albert Hall. What can you tell me about this unique experience?
It was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. A dream come true.
I had reached out on social media, almost on a whim, to an incredible account that shares famous letters every day. I had always known about Letters Live, but I knew they often featured very famous guests, so I never imagined I would actually be involved. Then, a few weeks later, I got a message from the head of Letters Live asking if I would have a quick chat.
He called and asked, “Are you free?” and I said, “Umm… yes, I think so,” while doing everything I could to hold off on jumping up and down and screaming with joy until he got off the phone.
That evening was filled with so many incredible artists and performers, and everyone was unbelievably kind. What made it especially meaningful was that many people were reading letters written by or to famous figures, but I was there sharing my own grandmother’s words.
Standing on that stage at the Royal Albert Hall and speaking her writing aloud felt like exactly where I was meant to be. I kept thinking, if only my grandma knew.
Letters Live is such a beautiful concept and such a wonderful community built around human connection and storytelling. I feel incredibly honoured that I got to be part of it, and it was amazing to see how deeply people connected with Joan’s words.
If you were to describe the play in one word, what would it be?
Mercurial
If you were to look ahead to the end of August, what would you like to have achieved by the end of your Edinburgh run?
More than anything, I hope I’ve shared my grandparents’ story with as many people as possible and helped people feel more connected to their own stories and relationships. I hope someone leaves and feels inspired to write a letter, reach out to someone they love, or say something they’ve been meaning to say before it’s too late.
This play is about love, connection, and the power of preserving the moments and people that matter. If people leave feeling a little closer to someone they love, and if Joan and my grandfather’s story encourages people to love harder, connect more deeply, and bring back the lost art of letter writing, then I’ll feel like we’ve achieved something truly special.
Catch Letters to Joan at the 2026 festival
It certainly sounds like discovering the letters and devising this piece of theatre has allowed Sam to get to know her grandparents on an even deeper level. It is also wonderful to hear that Sam’s grandmother was also a writer, and inspired her to get into performing and writing. The play is based at Bunker Three at Pleasance Courtyard (venue 33) from 5th – 31st August. Performances start at 11:35 (1 hour), with the show on sale via the EdFringe website now.
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