Ken Ludwig takes a creative journey with Asolo Repertory Theatre

The prolific playwright Ken Ludwig has 34 plays and musicals to his credit. His work has been staged around the world and across the U.S. Asolo Repertory Theatre has produced five of his works, including “Moon Over Buffalo” and “Lend Me a Tenor.” But Ludwig’s “Lady Molly of Scotland Yard” will be his first world premiere on the Asolo Rep stage.

Ludwig's new work is a theatrical adaptation of Baroness Orczy’s lesser-known “Lady Molly” stories. Ludwig’s “Lady Molly of Scotland Yard” transports Baroness Orczy’s female sleuth to World War II.

Photo by Evan Vucci

Ludwig’s reimagined her characters, and put them in a gripping tale of murder, espionage and codebreaking set in the dark days of the Nazi blitz against Great Britain. His ripping yarn does justice to that era’s real-life heroes — and blends Ludwig’s signature wit with historical intrigue. 

Before its Asolo Rep premiere, which runs from Jan. 24 to Feb. 8 after a week of previews, Ludwig’s play came together over a series of live readings. According to the playwright, the Sarasota audience’s feedback helped fine-tune the script on every level. In the following talk, Ludwig shares insights into the creative journey that helped bring his reinvented “Lady Molly of Scotland Yard” to the stage in Sarasota.

What drew you to adapt “Lady Molly of Scotland Yard” for the stage?

The title reached out and grabbed me. I stumbled across a reference to it, and thought, "What a great title for a fun thriller!” I discovered that the author was Baroness Orczy, who also wrote “The Scarlet Pimpernel." That’s an impressive pedigree. Her original work was a series of short stories about two women at Scotland Yard — a supervisor and her sidekick, a sort of Sherlock Holmes-and-Watson team. However, after reading a few of those stories, I realized it wasn’t Orczy’s greatest fiction. I decided not to directly adapt the “Lady Molly” stories, but instead took the title and created my own characters in a new adventure set during World War II. It’s a completely different story.

Ah. So the title was like the diving board that got you into the pool.

Exactly.

How did you reinvent the story?

I started by changing the time period and set the story in England during World War II. It begins with Lady Molly solving a murder as part of her detective work for Scotland Yard. Without spoiling too much, her investigation leads to the code breakers at Bletchley Park, where she goes undercover to expose a traitor. Most of my story unfolds there — and Asolo Rep has been invaluable in fine-tuning it before the opening.

Asolo Rep has produced five of your plays and musicals. Is “Lady Molly” the first play you’ve workshopped there?

Yes, “Lady Molly” will be my first world premiere with Asolo Rep. As you said, they’ve done several of my works for the stage. I had a good relationship with Michael Edwards, the previous artistic director. After he retired, he recommended I connect with Peter Rothstein — Asolo Rep’s new artistic director. We hit it off immediately, and that got the ball rolling in the development process.

How did that process unfold?

Peter liked my first draft and suggested changes, such as conflating two characters. We then held a workshop and a reading at the Asolo, where we analyzed audience reactions. Based on that feedback, I wrote a second draft. I recently spent a week in Sarasota casting the show and rehearsing with the cast. We then had another reading for a group of patrons, and the play continues to evolve. With new plays, you begin with a blueprint and refine it as you go.

Many fiction authors sit alone at their computers writing for hypothetical readers in the future. As a playwright, you workshop with actors and shape the script based on live readings. How would you describe that process?

Oh, I love it! The experience is tremendously enjoyable — it’s one of the reasons I went into theater. Unlike fiction for print, where it’s just the writer and the reader, theater is a public medium. The public is a key part of the development process. Audience reactions are invaluable to a playwright. Whether it’s laughter, stillness, or gasps, they tell you everything.

So, audience reactions guide your revisions?

Definitely. Audience feedback at our unstaged script readings is everything. If a laugh line falls flat, it’s likely the line’s fault, not the delivery. Similarly, if a scene drags, you’ll hear coughing — it’s a subconscious signal of a loss of attention. These cues help me fine-tune the script to maintain engagement. The workshop phase is a collaborative process with actors and audience. That’s what I love about theater — it’s alive and shared.

And the actors are alive, too. What can you tell me about the Asolo Rep cast?

They’re all professionals of the highest caliber. Kate Loprest plays Lady Molly, and she’s fantastic. She stood out immediately during the New York auditions. Kate beautifully captures Lady Molly’s aristocratic, highly competent nature. Adeline Phelps plays Peg, Lady Molly’s Watson-like sidekick. She wants to fly for the RAF and contrasts sharply with Lady Molly’s lofty demeanor. Adeline’s perfect for her energetic, ambitious character. Chris Hoch is outstanding in multiple roles, including Winston Churchill. Jake Lowenthal is equally first-rate as Jack Colville and Alan Turing. The entire cast is exceptional. They all do justice to their characters, both real and fictional.

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Did you enjoy writing about the actual historical characters?

Absolutely! Getting to know these people on a deeper level has been fascinating. Alan Turing is one character in my play. Turing’s work shortened the war by years and saved countless lives. He’s rightly credited with breaking the Nazi “Enigma” code — and giving birth to the digital age in the process.

What’s been your greatest challenge as a playwright?

The twists and turns of the story itself have been challenging. “Lady Molly” is a thriller with elements of comedy, and it’s set across multiple locations. Balancing dramatic pacing with storytelling clarity is crucial. It’s a very big canvas, and we want everyone to know exactly what's happening. Audience feedback has been instrumental in refining these elements throughout the development process. Sarasota theatergoers are very perceptive.

Any final thoughts?

I’m thrilled to be working with Asolo Rep. It’s one of America’s great theaters, and Peter Rothstein is an incredible artistic director. I’m having a wonderful time and hope to do more premieres here.