Maev Beaty and Jesse LaVercombe star in the Canadian premiere of Letters From Max, a ritual by Sarah Ruhl, based on the book by Sarah Ruhl and Max Ritvo. Marking the start of Necessary Angel’s 45th Anniversary Season, the show runs from November 10 to December 3 at The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St W, Toronto. Opening night is November 15 at 8 p.m. Tickets for Letters From Max, a ritual are on sale now and range from $30-60. For information or to purchase tickets, visit https://theatrecentre.org/tickets/?eid=106867

A deeply moving portrait of a friendship, and an unforgettable exploration of love, art, mortality, and the afterlife, Ruhl’s poetic play is an award-winning adaptation of her 2018 book, Letters from Max: A Poet, a Teacher, and a Friendship. 

“A resonant and profound contribution from two fully formed artists to the literature of illness,” (Slate) the story is built on letters and poems passed between Ruhl and her former student Max Ritvo. Letters From Max, a ritual sparks with humour, urgency, and humanity in the face of the return of Ritvo’s Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of paediatric cancer. Ruhl and Ritvo’s words become a captivating celebration of life in which hopes, fears, and observations are shared and debated in a spirit of generosity and joyous affection.