The cast of Letters Aloud (left to right): Paul Morgan Stetler, Basil Harris, Angela Davis, and Dan Newton.
Photo courtesy of Angela Davis
Angela Davis (left) and Basil Harris each performed various notable figures across history who were recipients of rejection letters.
Photo courtesy of Angela Davis
Angela Davis, Emmy Award-winning reporter at Minnesota Public radio, was the special guest of the Minnesota production.
Photo courtesy of Angela Davis
Notable figures featured ranged from Stephen King to Prince, Emily Dickenson to Madonna.
Photo courtesy of Angela Davis
Current students Melody Her ’24 (far right) and Nayrus Hussein ’27 (far left) joined the cast onstage to read several letters.
Photo courtesy of Melody Her
“May 19, 1977. The enclosed material on PRINCE has been reviewed by our A&R Department, and although we feel there is great potential, it is not the type of act we are looking for at this point in time. Thanks for your consideration.”
As one of the most prominent musical artists to come out of Minnesota, Prince’s legendary status today makes it easy to forget that even “The Purple One” faced his share of rejection. This letter, dated from the beginning of his career, was just one from an array of remarkable figures featured in Letters Aloud: Thanks But No Thanks, The Greatest Rejection Letters Ever.
Gracing stage in February for one night only, Letters Aloud showcased humorous — and relatable — responses to and from notable individuals throughout history. Created in 2013 by Paul Morgan Stetler, the nationally-touring production features different performers reading the letters, accompanied by live music. The Minnesota performance featured Angela Davis, five-time Emmy Award-winning host of Minnesota Public Radio. ( which aired the week of the show.)
Rejection may have been the theme of the evening, but the mood was anything but gloomy. Stetler, Davis, and voice actor Basil Harris performed a compilation of correspondence that made The O’Shaughnessy echo with laughter. Two ÍćĹĽ˝ă˝ă’s students, Melody Her ’24 and Nayrus Hussein ’27, joined the cast onstage to read audience submissions and college admission rejections — including a rejection of a rejection:
“Dear Duke University Admissions,” read Her. “Thank you for your rejection letter on March 26, 2015. After careful consideration, I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal into the admission of the fall 2015 class at Duke. This year, I have been fortunate enough to receive rejection letters from the best and brightest universities in the country. However, despite Duke’s outstanding success in rejecting previous applicants, you simply did not meet my qualifications. Therefore, I will be attending Duke next semester in 2015. I look forward to seeing you then.”
Even more than laughter, the selected letters — with recipients ranging from Emily Dickinson to Madonna — kindled empathy for a universal experience.
“While tonight’s show will be filled with all kinds of rejection, it’s important to note that more than anything, it’s about people not giving up,” said Stetler during his introduction to the evening. “Someone once said that all of our rejections bring us that much closer to an acceptance.”
Irene Green, executive director of The O’Shaughnessy, says that she explicitly brought the production to campus because she thought it would resonate especially with students, many of whom are in the beginning of their journeys and trying new experiences.
“It took me many years in the working world to realize that rejection is part of a successful life,” says Green. “I thought this funny show would be a great way to open up this topic for reflection for all of us!”