David Houston, his site
Welcome!
Here you'll
find details of current Literary Entertainments written and produced for theaters,
libraries and schools. Or, by perusing resumes, review
David's past
projects and credentials
(author of 14 published books,
fiction and non,
several plays and screenplays; technical
writer and magazine editor;
and
an actor/director with numerous credits).
Scroll down a bit. Feel free to roam.
click on
photo icon
to go to
page of synopses, bios, reviews, performance
dates, technical
requirements, fees, contact information, photos, study guides, etc.
Especially for Lincoln's 200th Anniversary Year, 2009. In a solo performance reading, underscored with music of American composers, David Houston presents a surprising portrait of our most literary president, derived from Lincoln's writings and speeches, which portray a witty and wise statesman who speaks to us as if he lives today and understands our most pressing, confusing and amusing concerns. 65 minutes.
A
65-minute performance reading in the style of radio drama by David Houston, with traditional background music,
from on the work of
Daniel Gordis. A
moving, insightful picture of present-day
Israel as experienced by an American
who moved his family to “a haven and a battleground—a
place where life goes through you.” Selecting from Gordis's intelligent and often poetic observations of private and
world-shattering events, David
WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR
Celebrating the 2009 Long Island Reads selection: a dramatic reading in the style of radio drama (with music and effects) featuring actress Diana Heinlein as the voice of the book, with David Houston as narrator. Doris Kearns Goodwin's memoir is a charming account of a girl's coming of age on Ling Island in the 1950s, in love with family and The Brooklyn Dodgers. It's an inspired choice for the library book clubs or Nassau and Suffolk Counties. [Wait Till Next Year has been optioned to become a musical, and Goodwin's exceptional Lincoln biography Team of Rivals is soon to be a Steven Spielberg movie starring Liam Neeson.]
David Houston and Diana Heinlein in an hour-long performance reading from Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize winning novel - in the style of radio drama with background music from Elmer Bernstein's haunting film score. The program features events surrounding the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of a crime he clearly did not commit, seen through the eyes and actions of Atticus Finch, his defense attorney, and Finch's daughter Scout. A meaningful look at the misguided American South of the 1930s, sometimes violent, sometimes gentle and wise. For devotees and students of the book and film, and also a presentation for Black History Month in February.
Fred and Adele Astaire: The Last Dance
A bio-musical play. In 1932, Adèle Astaire, thought to be the more talented of the famous brother-sister duo, suddenly retired. In this one-act comedy-drama with music, Fred and Adèle reminisce, sing favorites, and dance their "last dance" to a new song that Fred will have to perform next season with a new partner: Cole Porter's as-yet-unknown "Night and Day." Steve Corbellini is Fred , Melanie Lipton is Adèle , and David Houston is Fred's valet Georgie. More than a dozen songs, familiar and obscure, of Gershwin, Kern and others,
The Belle of Amherst
Melanie Lipton as Emily Dickinson in the most celebrated of all one-actor Broadway plays, by Henry Luce, in a new touring production for libraries and schools. The surprisingly witty and candid Miss Dickinson speaks to her houseguests about her life, loves and artistry while sharing passages from her immortal poetry. (Presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.)
The Dickens!
David Houston as Charles Dickens on his American Tour of 1867. Three different programs: (1) The Chimes (a ghostly New Year's Eve) plus a comic scene from Pickwick Papers; (2) the classic A Christmas Carol; or (3) a performance of Three Short Pieces: "Sikes and Nancy" (the chilling murder from Oliver Twist), a charming short story "Boots at the Holly Tree Inn," and the humorous and sentimental novelette "Doctor Marigold."
Study in Scarlet
David Houston in a one-man dramatized adaptation of the delightful, frightening, controversial and surprising story that introduced Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in 1887, took the English-speaking world by storm, and became the “gold standard” for modern detective fiction. Accompanying music is from various Sherlock Holmes movies and TV shows.
Fahrenheit 451
A three-actor performance reading in the style of radio drama (with music and sound effects) of Ray Bradbury's classic story of censorship and apathy. Especially appropriate for Banned Book Week in September, for any studies of censorship, and for schools and organizations that include the science-fiction masterpiece on reading lists. Melanie Lipton, Matt Stashin, David Houston.
Mark Twain: Telling Tales
David Houston as Mark Twain—in a "lecture" on the fine art of comedy and wit, from Twain's essays including "How to Tell a Humorous Story," and with full dramatic readings of "The Golden Arm," "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" and the white-washing scene from Tom Sawyer.
Links to Resumes, Photo Gallery, Previous Plays and Readings
Theatrical Resume acting, writing, directing, commercials, voice-overs, training, projects in the works plus links to Long Island theatre websites. Resume for technical writing and editing, business language repair, ad copy Communications Services Resume 1990-2008 On-Stage Photo Gallery (The Dresser, The Fantasticks, Me and My Girl, The Little Foxes, Dial M for Murder, etc.)
Although retired due to waning interest, many of these previous shows can still be made available
JOY COMES IN THE MORNING—LET'S DO IT! — MURDER AND MADNESS AND POE—THE GHOST OF DOROTHY PARKER—ALOFT—LILLY ALONE—JAZZ BABY JOAN—SHORT STORIES OF ISAAC BASHEVIS SINGER—HOW THE GARCIA GIRLS LOST THEIR ACCENTS—SNOW IN AUGUST—TRAVELS WITH CHARLIE—AMAGANSETT—ST. VALENTINE'S DAYS—WALT WHITMAN, TO BEGIN WITH—WE THE LIVING [MOVIE]—THE COLOR OF WATER—GREAT SCOTT AND ZELDA
Send an E-Mail to DH@davidhouston.net