>> Cathy: HOW COOL IS THIS?

TWO BROADCAST LEGENDS JOIN US TONIGHT.

BUT THEY'RE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR TIME ON THE AIR.

THEY ARE HERE TO DISCUSS AN UPCOMING GIG ON THE STAGE.

DON SHELBY ANCHORED THE NEWS ON WCCO NEWS.

DON SHELBY IN THE HOUSE.

NANCY NELSON'S DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN BROADCASTING INCLUDES A 13-YEAR RUN ON WHAT'S NEW ON WHAT WAS THE FORMER -- WELL, KARE-11 NOW, W .

THEY RETURN TO THE CHANHASSEN DINNER THEATRES IN SEPTEMBER FOR "LOVE LETTERS."

IT’S A PLAY THAT EXPLORES THE LIVES OF TWO FRIENDS THROUGH THE LETTERS AND NOTES THEY EXCHANGE OVER THE COURSE OF HALF A CENTURY.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU GUYS.

>> IT'S SO WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW OLD YOU HAVE TO BE TO HAVE SOMEBODY CALL YOU A LEGEND?

JUST SAYING.

>> Cathy: HEY, IT'S GREAT TO BE A LEGEND.

>> Eric: IF THE SHOE FITS.

>> THANK YOU, ERIC.

>> Eric: WHAT KEEPS YOU GUYS COMING BACK TO THIS ROLE?

YOU'VE DONE IT BEFORE.

>> THIS IS THE THIRD TIME.

I'LL DO ANYTHING WITH DON SHELBY THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT ON THE AIR.

[ Laughter ] >> AND WE TALK ABOUT IN THE PLAY.

SO, LET THAT BE SORT OF A WARNING TO THE POTENTIAL AUDIENCE.

>> YEAH.

>> WE HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS.

WE HAVE BEEN GREAT FRIENDS.

AND THIS OPPORTUNITY WAS PRESENTED TO NANCY, FIRST OF ALL, BY MICHAEL BRANDISI, THE LATE MICHAEL BRANDISI, THE FABULOUS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF CHANHASSEN DINNER THEATRES.

AND SHE ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE HER PARTNER.

I GOTTA TELL YOU, THAT WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE THING TO HEAR FROM HER BECAUSE I KNOW SHE HAD DONE "LOVE LETTERS" WITH HER HUSBAND, BILL CARLSON.

>> Eric: OH, SURE.

>> AT THE OLD LOG THEATRE.

AND FOR HER TO ASK ME, BECAUSE MILLIE HAD PASSED AWAY, TO BE A PART OF THIS SHOW, I COULD NOT SAY NO.

>> Cathy: I DID NOT KNOW THAT.

>> WELL, WHEN DON SAYS, FRIENDS, OF OURSE, MILLIE AND DON TOGETHER FOR DECADES, SO I KNEW DON, AND WHEN BILLIE PASSED AWAY, DON WAS THE FIRST ONE THROUGH THE DOOR.

AND, OF COURSE, DID BILLIE'S MEMORIAL.

SO IT IS LOVELY AND COMFORTABLE AND WONDERFUL TO DO THIS WITH A FRIEND AND IT IS SUCH A GIFT TO US AT THIS CHAPTER.

>> YES.

>> SUCH A GIFT.

WE'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE 2022.

THEY'D DROP US IN FOR THREE WEEKS, THEY DROP US IN AGAIN FOR THREE WEEKS.

AND AS LONG WE KEEP SELLING TICKETS, PLEASE COME, EVERYBODY COME, PLEASE, PLEASE COME.

THEY'LL KEEP LETTING US DO IT.

>> Cathy: NOW YOU READ SIDE BY SIDE, YES, RIGHT?

>> WE DO.

WHAT HAPPENS IS THE TWO CHARACTERS COME OUT ON STAGE, BECAUSE, AS YOU'VE SET IT UP, THIS IS ABOUT LETTERS, WE HAVE WRITTEN TO ONE ANOTHER FOR 50 YEARS.

WE JOIN THESE PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE 9 YEARS OLD.

AND THEY START WRITING.

BILLIE NOT MILLEY.

YOU HAVE NOT SEEN A PLAY LIKE THIS OFTEN.

THE LETTER HE WROTE, WE SEE HER RESPOND OMEHOW.

SHE WRITES BACK.

WE KNOW IT BY HEART BECAUSE WE'VE DONE IT SO LONG, BUT TO THE AUDIENCE T LOOKS AS IF WE ARE READING OUR LETTER THAT WE HAVE JUST WRITTEN.

>> RIGHT.

>> IT'S UNUSUAL, E NEVER LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND WE NEVER MOVE OUT OF THE CHAIRS.

>> NEVER INTERACT.

THE ODDEST KIND OF STAGING, YOU'LL EVER SEE.

>> IT'S NOT BORING.

IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE IT.

>> IT'S NOT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ACTING IS REACTING.

AND THAT MEANS YOU ARE PLAYING OFF OF THE PERSON, BUT WE NEVER SEE EACH OTHER.

WE NEVER LOOK AT EACH OTHER.

>> NOT UNTIL THE VERY END WHEN WE GET TO TAKE OUR BOW.

>> Cathy: OH, FOR GOODNESS SAKE.

YOU WORKED WITH THE FABULOUS LEGENDARY DAVE MOORE, WHO WAS AN ACTOR.

RIGHT.

>> ACTOR FIRST.

>> I DID TOO.

>> Cathy: HE WAS AN ACTOR FIRST.

YOU DID, TOO, RIGHT.

HE WAS AN ACTOR FIRST AND THEN, OF COURSE, JOURNALIST.

DID HE TELL YOU ANYTHING IN THE COURSE OF YOUR LONG RELATIONSHIP ABOUT HOW TO BE ON STAGE?

>> EVERYTHING.

>> Cathy: ECAUSE NOW YOU'VE DONE HOW MANY OTHER PRODUCTIONS BEYOND THIS ONE?

>> Z.

HE TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING I KNOW.

>> Cathy: WOW.

>> EVERYTHING.

AND IT WAS ALL PARTS THAT WERE MISSING IN ME.

HE TOLD ME, HE SAID, HE SAID, I AM -- HE WAS SPEAKING OF HIMSELF, I AM 10% JOURNALIST AND 09% ACTOR.

YOU'RE 90% JOURNALIST AND 10% ACTOR.

MAYBE WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER.

90% ACTOR.

AND I USED TO WATCH WITH AMAZEMENT THE WAY HE WOULD READ A STORY AND THE WAY HE WOULD COMMUNICATE.

BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT COMMUNICATION.

NOT JUST READING A SERIES OR A LITANY OF FACTS, BUT BY COMMUNICATING THOSE FACTS TO PEOPLE, AND HE HAD IT OVER EVERYONE.

>> Eric: YOU SHARE THE DATES OF THE PERFORMANCES?

>> YES, WE'RE IN SEPTEMBER 3rd THROUGH THE 1st, JUST 15 PERFORMANCES.

YOU CAN GO TO CHANHASSENDINNERTHEATRES.COM.

AND, DON, THEY GO TO CHANHASSEN'S DINNER THEATRE'S FACEBOOK PAGE, BECAUSE WE'RE HERE, THE SPECIAL OFFER ON FACEBOOK ONLY, BUY ONE TICKET, GET THE SECOND TICKET FOR HALF PRICE.

SO MY TICKET COST FULL PRICE, DON'S TICKET IS HALF PRICE.

ISN'T THAT RIGHT?

>> AND FOR TPT AUDIENCES ONLY.

>> Eric: WAIT, THERE'S MORE.

>> WAIT.

>> OH, HERE WE GO.

>> Eric: AND YOU'RE THE HOST OF THE CHANHASSEN ALL YEAR, RIGHT, AREN'T YOU?

>> YES.

I'M ONE OF TWO -- WELL, ACTUALLY, FOUR OF US.

I GREET AND THEN I GO UP ON STAGE AND SAY, HEY, GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

>> Eric: OH, FUN.

>> I LOVE THE THEATER.

I LOVE THE SHOW.

I LOVE DON SHELBY, THAT THAT R THANK YOU FOR LETTING US BE