WESTFIELD — Lake Shore Center for the Arts in Westfield has just the event for your Valentine’s festivities. The renowned play “Love Letters,” written by Buffalo’s own A.R. Gurney and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama, will be presented Feb. 10 and 14 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 11 and 12 at 2 p.m. in the Jacqueline Phillips Theater. The theater is located within Lake Shore Center for the Arts at 49 S. Portage Street directly across the street from the Patterson Library.

The play centers on two characters, Melissa Gardner portrayed by local community activist Joan Caruso, and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III portrayed by John “Doc” Hamels of Chautauqua Sunrise fame and our local music scene.

The play begins as they are childhood friends whose lifelong correspondence begins with birthday party thank-you notes and summer camp postcards. Romantically attached, they continue to exchange letters through the boarding school and college years where Andy goes on to excel at Yale and law school, while Melissa flunks out of a series of “good schools.” While Andy is off at war Melissa marries, but her attachment to Andy remains strong and she continues to keep in touch as he marries, becomes a successful attorney, gets involved in politics and, eventually, is elected to the U.S. Senate.

Meanwhile, her marriage in tatters, Melissa dabbles in art and drinks more than she should. Eventually she and Andy do become involved in a brief affair, but it is really too late for both of them. However Andy’s last letter, written to her mother after Melissa’s untimely death, makes it eloquently clear how much they really meant, and gave to, each other over the years — physically apart, perhaps, but spiritually as close as only true lovers can be.

Tickets for the play are $20 and are available online at www.lakeshorecenterforthearts.com. A small number of tickets will also be available at the door for each performance. Because of limited seating it is recommended you order tickets online to assure seating.