Randy Levin Letzler landed her first acting job at the age of six, playing Princess Ying Yaowalak in a regional production of "The King and I."
"The princess has to read a letter," she said. "I could barely read at that point, so I had to memorize what I was supposed to be reading."
Hooked on performing, she continued to act in plays and television commercials, and, just two weeks after graduating high school, she moved from her home in Baltimore, Maryland, to New York City to pursue acting full-time.
With more than four decades of acting, dancing, choreographing, and even directing an off-Broadway play, Letzler, 71, was well-prepared for her latest role at the University of Miami.
A member and volunteer instructor with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Miami, Letzler, who moved to Miami just before the pandemic, had six weeks to take a dozen retired professionals with no acting experience and lead them in the production of a one-hour comic play.
"I had three doctors, two lawyers, a math teacher, and a real estate agent," she said. "A lot of very smart people, each very interesting and accomplished. The one thing they all had in common is they were willing to get up here and risk looking silly."
Part of the University’s Division of Continuing and International Education (DCIE), the institute offers non-credit classes and special interest clubs. and social activities for adults aged 50 and over. OLLI members can choose from more than 350 six-week courses, and they also enjoy free access to UM Libraries and the Lowe Art Museum. Courses range from creative writing and freestyle yoga to constitutional law, cybersecurity, American literature, and art history.
Letzler, who has performed with the likes of Sammy Davis Jr. and Sonny and Cher, said directing the play with her fellow OLLI members was one of the most rewarding experiences of her career.
"This group had so much heart and soul it’s unbelievable," said Letzler, who joined OLLI to meet people after moving to Miami. "As a group, they are hysterical and very supportive of one another. There are no divas in this group."
Most of the students were originally part of Letzler’s Improv 101 class, and they convinced her to teach a new course called Let’s Put on a Play.
The result was the premier performance of OLLI on Stage, a one-hour production consisting of five 10-minute scenes from various comic plays and one beloved television show.
More than 75 people crowded into a classroom at the University’s Founder’s Hall for the show. Every scene elicited cheers and laughter. The final curtain call drew a standing ovation.
"We had six weeks and no budget," Letzler told the audience. "Everything we needed for the set we had to beg, borrow, or steal. This desk? That becomes a couch. You have to use your imagination."
Regardless of any limitations, though, Letzler’s students were effusive in their praise of the class and their instructor, who was presented with several bouquets of flowers and asked to sign autographs after the show.
"I’m in my ninth decade, no acting experience or training," said Don Nicholson, a retired eye surgeon, and ophthalmology professor at the University’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.
An OLLI member since 2017, Nicholson, 83, played the character Felix in a scene from "The Odd Couple."
"Randy took us beyond our comfort zone, but she did it in a very kind and supportive way," Nicholson said.
Elizabeth Newman, a retired trial lawyer, joked that acting was a different kind of challenge, compared to litigation.
"At least here I know what's coming,"; she said, laughing. "In a courtroom, you can't feed the witness lines. This was fun. The experience gave me the confidence to take her improv class next."
Michelle Alvarez, director of OLLI, said Letzler exemplifies the member-driven spirit of the program, which has existed at the University of Miami for more than three decades and counts more than 800 members, a number that is growing since pandemic restrictions have been lifted.
"Randy is a member, an instructor, and even the chair of our social committee," said Alvarez. "Her energy and commitment have helped energize OLLI at UM as we expand our in-person offerings (since the pandemic). She really is a force of nature and a lot of fun to work with."
As for Letzler, she has signed up for a poker class next semester. She will also be teaching Improv 101.
"OLLI has become a home for me,"; she said. "I've met a lot of nice people. It's a special place."
OLLI summer sessions begin on May 1. www.miami.edu/olli.
