Debbie Starker (Ruth McBride Jordan)—is famous on Long Island for her many leading and featured roles in musicals, operettas, comedies and dramas; for her widely read Internet news letter, Deb's Web, which reports on local professional and amateur theatricals; for directing musicals and plays, and for producing touring musical events for libraries.  Her roles include Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret (picture right), Bloody Mary in South Pacific, Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, Mrs. Pearce in My Fair Lady, Queen Aggravain in Once Upon a Mattress, Helga in Deathtrap, Juliet's Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, Mama Morton in Chicago, Rebecca in The Crucible, Grandma Kurnitz in Lost in Yonkers, Mother Superior in Nunsense, Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance, Jack's Mother in Into the Woods, Truvy in Steel Magnolias, Domina in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Emma in Over the River and Through the Wood—to name just a few.

David Houston (narration; adaptation and direction)—has appeared in leading roles in scores of plays and musicals, including Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet, Mayor Shinn in The Music Man, Senex in A Funny Thing Happened, Ben in Death of a Salesman, Herr Shultz in Cabaret and Horace Giddens in The Little Foxes.  He is a published and produced writer of fiction and non-fiction.  His original hour-long plays, Lillie Alone, The Dickens!, Mark Twain: Telling Tales, Great Scott and Zelda, Murder and Madness and Poe, Jazz Baby Joan, Let's Do It!, Walt Whitman To Begin With and The Ghost of Dorothy Parker have been seen at a number of Long Island libraries.  His Joan Crawford biography Jazz Baby (St. Martin's Press) was optioned for movie production, as was his mystery novel Shadows on the Moon (Leisure Books).  His "dramatic readings in the style of radio drama" presented at Long Island libraries include Pete Hamill's Snow in August, the Sherlock Holmes novel Study in Scarlet, Steinbeck's Travels with Charley, Mark Mills's Amagansett, Three Short Stories by I.B. Singer, and Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.

About THE COLOR OF WATER

"It's a story about keeping on and not being a victim.  It's a love story.  Much hilarity is mixed in with the sadness.  As McBride describes the chaotic life in a family of fourteen, you can almost feel the teasing, the yelling and the love.  The book is a delight, a goading, and an inspiration, worth your time and a few tears."  SUNDAY DENVER POST

"A standout among the current surfeit of memoirs about growing up black in the United States.  Mr. McBride's portrait of his mother is not of a saint, which makes her all the more compelling."  THE WASHINGTON TIMES

"A well-written, thoughtful contribution to the literature on race."  THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD

"Told with humor and clear-eyed grace, a terrific story.  The sheer strength of spirit, pain, and humor of McBride and his mother as they wrestled with different aspects of race and identity is vividly told.  I laughed and thrilled to her brood of twelve kids.  I wish I'd known them.  I'm glad McBride wrote it all down."  THE NATION

"A refreshing portrait of family self-discovery brilliantly intertwines passages of the family's lives.  Mr. McBride's search is less about racial turmoil than about how he realizes how blessed he is to have had a support system in the face of what could have been insurmountable obstacles."  THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

"What makes this story inspiring is that she succeeded against strong odds.  How she did this is what makes this memoir read like a very well-plotted novel.  This moving and unforgettable memoir needs to be read by people of all colors and faiths."  PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY

"Tells us a great deal about our nation's racial sickness, and about the possibilities of overcoming it."  THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

"Poignant, a uniquely American coming of age.  Ruth McBride's anecdotes are richly detailed, her voice clear and engaging.  And she has a story worth telling."  THE MIAMI HERALD

"Eloquent, vivid, affecting.  McBride's mother should take much pleasure in this loving, if sometimes uncomfortable, memoir, which embodies family values of the best kind.  Other readers will take pleasure in it as well."  KIRKUS REVIEWS

"A triumph."  THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

About "radio style" presentations

THE COLOR OF WATER by James McBride (with Debbie Starker as Ruth)

Dominic Antignano, Resident Activities Coordinator, Peconic Landing Auditorium, Greenport: "Your professionalism magically transported us to another place and time. Thank you for such a great show." Beth Saltalamacchio, Cultural Program Specialist, Plainview Old Bethpage Public Library: "Excellent interpretation of James McBride's book. It brought the characters to life." Barbara Minerd, Public Relations Director, Shelter Rock Public Library: "The musical selections were a perfect choice, a wonderful enhancement for the performance. Well, if this radio drama doesn't inspire those who haven't read the book to read it, I don't know what will.  The program transported me to another world." Jude Schanzer, Program Director and Publicity, East Meadow Public Library: "Stupendous meticulous thought obviously given to the material and the venue in which it was to be performed.  The audience was visibly moved."  Marion Waller, Professional Theatrical Director, at Copiague Library: "The performances were mesmerizing.  You "saw" these people and never had to wonder who was speaking.  Eras and places were evoked to maximum effect." Claire Yourman, patron, Port Washington Public Library: "Excellent.  I found the performance above average, entirely enjoyable and informative.  I look forward to more shows with David Houston and Debbie Starker." Penelope Wright, Director of Adult Programs, Rogers Memorial Library, Southampton: "A brilliant adaptation of a remarkable book.  The superbly acted production conveys the pure essence of Mr. McBride's poignant tribute to his remarkable mother." Melissa Gabrielle, Programs, South Country Library, Bellport: "A powerful and wonderful performance that had a great impact on the audience.  The high school students who attended were impressed with the quality of the performances and commented that they found that the actors made the story even more relevant to their experiences in class." Linda May, actress, at Port Jefferson Free Library: "It was wonderful!  David Houston has done an excellent job of taking excerpts from the book and turning them into a seamless, entertaining evening.  He does the narration and all the other voices to wonderful effect. Debbie Starker reads the mother, and she is mesmerizing. I was completely drawn into the mother's world, and even though I had read the book, I was waiting on the edge of my seat for what came next." Patricia Eren, Program Coordinator, Floral Park Library: Excellent in all categories; "Everyone was delighted with the performance."

Millie Scott, Librarian, West Babylon Public Library: "The West Babylon Literary Club was looking forward to your presentation and again were not disappointed!  An excellent program.  Thanks!"  Kate Horan, Adult Services Librarian, South Country Library: "I am so impressed with how you coordinated text selections with the music of Aaron Copland.  I'm sure you could tell by the audience's enthusiastic response that everyone loved the various voices you highlighted in our narrative journey across America."  Linda Kundla, Librarian, Sea Cliff Library: "My patrons enjoyed the performance thoroughly."  Fran Carey, patron, Half Hollow Hills Community Library: "I loved Copland's music accompanying the lively and animated reading; this was a delightful and engaging performance." Barbara Minerd, Program Director, Shelter Rock Public Library: "Accents are wonderful and the selection of background music perfect; the audience was mesmerized."  Tracey Simon, Program Coordinator, Lynbrook Public Library: "The feedback was quite positive and inspired a few members of the audience to read the book and join us for the book discussion the following week!"  Jessica Ley, Program Coordinator, Port Washington Public Library: "Another stellar interpretation of a literary work—moving and impeccably presented."

FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury (dramatic reading by David Houston, Matt Stashin, Melanie Lipton)

Jeanette Donohue, Programming Department, Syosset Public Library: "The radio drama was a different type of programming for Syosset. The group was very good and very professional." Evelyn Pusinelli, Program Coordinator, Hicksville Public Library: "Very good audience response; very good performance clarity and quality and literary content of the script." Lorraine Paesano, Adult Services Librarian, Middle Country Public Library at Centereach: "As always, a polished professional performance.  Being joined by Matt Stashin and Melanie Lipton added to the overall impact.  Listening to the selected pieces made me think of how scary it would be if people's beliefs and freedoms were to be challenged and mandated by others.  Thanks for a great reading!"  Deborah Dellis-Quinn, Program Director, Manhasset Library "FAHRENHEIT 451 was excellent – not only for our adult audience, but would be valuable for high-school students.  The pace was quick, keeping the audience involved in the characters and plot throughout the program.  The message of Ray Bradbury's novel was powerfully portrayed by the cast, and respectfully scripted." Jessica Ley, Program Coordinator, Port Washington Public Library: "I've come to expect excellence from a David Houston production, and I've never been disappointed.  FAHRENHEIT 451 was outstanding."  

Lorraine Paesano and Mary Frayne, Librarians, Middle Country Public Library: "It's too bad we had time constraints; our whole group would have loved to hear more.  The accents, the shifting of characters, the musical accompaniment – all added to a magical reading.  [The reading brought] Snow in August to life for us." Marcia Johnson, Program Coordinator, North Shore Public Library, Shoreham: "Both performers were well prepared, relaxed and professional.  Mr. Houston's adaptation of the book into the style of an old-time radio broadcast, complete with music underscoring, was deftly done.  Finally, the accents effectively delineated the many characters portrayed." Beth Saltalamacchio, Cultural Program Specialist, Plainview Old Bethpage Library: "This program gave me a better sense of the whole book than I thought was possible.  The segments were well planned, and the actors did a wonderful job creating characters and voices.  The background music added to the creation of an atmosphere."  Evelyn Pusinelli, Program Coordinator, Hicksville Public Library: "The audience was enthralled with the reading; the presentation held their attention.  Excellent."  Barbara Minard, Program Director, Shelter Rock Public Library: "The performance was much more than I expected.  Music selections augmented the reading perfectly.  Foreign accents beautifully transported the audience to a different time and place.  All in all, it was relaxing, entertaining, and very professional."

Aviva Crown, Cultural Programs Specialist, Plainview Old Bethpage Public Library: "The readings were charming and delighted our audience, which listened with such rapt attention.  It was almost better than reading the book!" Lorraine Paesano and Mary Frayne, Librarians, Middle Country Public Library, Selden : "The excellent presentation of the book helped bring out the book's lyrical qualities . . . the 'verbal performance' brought it into a special light and enhanced the book's overall appeal." Millie Scott, Librarian and Literary Club Leader:"We were surprised and delighted.  The West Babylon Literary Club thoroughly enjoyed the presentation.  Your sensitive readings drew us into the lives of the Garcia Girls." Irene Klein, audience member, Locust Valley Library: "Better than I anticipated.  Very professional.  I got a much better understanding of the book." Linda Soldo, Assistant Librarian, East Meadow Public Library: "Ms. Lipton made the characters come alive in her dramatic readings from 'Garcia Girls,' and Mr. Houston's readings of the narrative created a clear and enticing atmosphere."