Available from June 1, 2008

A three-actor performance reading

In the style of Radio Drama, with music and sound effects

LAUGHTER IN THE 19TH CENTURY

Script adaptations by David Houston

 “To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both seems like carelessness.”  
“I never travel without my diary: one must have something sensational to read in the train.”  

Oscar Wilde wrote those lines more than a century ago for THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST—
a play voted the funniest play ever written by just about every theatrical group with voting members.  

Wilde’s plays weren’t unique in their assault on the funny bone.  Stage comedies flourished
 long before mass communications, starting around 1820, with the French plays of Eugene Scribe which were 
 translated overnight or sometimes sooner into English. Scribe insisted that theater be "a place of entertainment, 
not a college classroom." Virtually unknown today, he dominated playwriting in the 19^th Century
—and still does!—for a couple of excellent reasons: his plays were phenomenally profitable, 
and he shared his formula for success in his publicized rules for the “well made play” 
that were later put to good use by just about everybody.  

We begin our excursion into our ancestors’ land of laughs with a scene from Scribe’s
 insanely popular A PECULIAR POSITION, travel through some plays of Rostand, 
Gilbert and Sullivan (with music), George Bernard Shaw and others—
and conclude with two classic scenes from Wilde’s EARNEST.

CONTACT  

David Houston
(516) 293-2638 – DH@davidhouston.net
$350 fee includes 3 actors, reading stands, music/effects equipment and travel (Long Island);  
Facility is asked to supply a performance area at least 8' x 12' basic lighting, and  
amplification if the auditorium is large.  Running time is about 70 minutes  

SCROLL DOWN OR PLUNGE WITH THESE LINKS:

THE PERFORMERS (BIOS)

SCHEDULED PERFORMANCES

SCRIBE'S RULES FOR THE WELL-MADE PLAY

COMMENTS AND REVIEWS 

THE PERFORMERS 

	DEBBIE STARKER—Known on Long Island for her many leading and featured roles in musicals, operettas, comedies and dramas; for her widely read Internet newsletter, Deb's Web; and for directing musicals and plays, Debbie’s notable performances include Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret, Bloody Mary in South Pacific, Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, Mrs. Pearce in My Fair Lady, 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, and Emma in Over the River and Through the Woods, and a reading of The Color of Water with David Houston.
	DIANA HEINLEIN—Reviewing a recent production of The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, NEWSDAY said, "Diana Heinlein is solid and hilarious at the center of the angst-ridden comedy; watching her wallow in comic pathos is a delight."  Since the 1980s, Diana has acted myriad featured roles, among them many Neil Simon classics including Mrs. Banks in Barefoot in the Park, Kate in both Broadway Bound and Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Cookie in one production of Rumors and Claire in another.  Beyond classic comedy, her portrayals include Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker, Maggie in Dancing at Lughnasa, three characters in The Boys Next Door, and Dorothy in Houston 's comedy-drama The Ghost of Dorothy Parker.
	DAVID HOUSTON—Has appeared in leading roles in scores of plays and musicals, including Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet, Senex in Sondheim's Forum, Ben in Death of a Salesman, Herr Shultz in Cabaret, Tony Wendice in Dial M For Murder, Mayor Shinn in The Music Man, and Horace Giddens in The Little Foxes. He is a published and produced writer (14 books, 3 screenplays, 7 stage plays), fiction and non-fiction.  His original plays, including, Lillie Alone, Great Scott and Zelda, Let's Do It, and The Last Dance 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.

SCHEDULED PERFORMANCES
Friday October 3, 2008, noon, Port Washington Public Library

Eugene Scribe's 
RULES FOR THE WELL MADE PLAY
For the Program hand-out

To be a success with an audience, said Scribe, a play must have:

One—a plot based upon a great secret known to the audience but withheld from certain 
characters, a secret revealed in an exposition scene (usually scene one).

Two—a pattern of increasingly intense action and suspense, 
prepared by on-going exposition.

Three—a series of ups and downs in the hero’s fortunes caused by his conflict 
with a powerful adversary.

Four—a scene marking both highest and lowest points in the hero’s adventures, 
often a cliff-hanger just before the final act.

Five—a central misunderstanding arising from the great secret and made obvious to the 
audience but withheld from the participants.

Six—a logical and believable resolution in which hidden truths are uncovered, and good 
fortune is restored to the long-suffering sympathetic hero or heroine.

Seven—a recap of the overall action pattern that has led to the final outcome.

About performance readings 
IN THE STYLE OF RADIO DRAMA

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

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." 

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." 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."

SNOW IN AUGUST (Houston as the Rabbi, Matt Stashin as boys' voices)

Patti Paris , Adult Services, Bellmore Memorial Library: "This was an excellent program holding the audience's rapt attention.  Matt Stashin and David Houston made the characters in the book come alive.  We look forward to having another program with Houston in the fall (readings from the stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer)." 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." Marjorie Shuster, Program Director, Merrick Public Library (at Bellmore Library): "A fabulous fascinating program, very well done; I loved it."  Rated "excellent" in all evaluation categories.  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."

For more information, visit pages for individual shows:

Home  |  Aloft  |  Great Scott, and Zelda  |  Belle of Amherst  |  Stories of IB Singer  |  Let's Do It!
 Murder Madness and Poe  |  On-Stage Photo Gallery  |  Theatrical Resume  |  The Dickens!  |  Fahrenheit 451  |  Jazz Baby Joan  
  Walt Whitman, To Begin With  |  Mark Twain: Telling Tales  |  Study in Scarlet  |  The Ghost of Dorothy Parker
The Color of Water  |  Fred and Adele Astaire: The Last Dance  |  Laughter in the 19th Century  |  Joy Comes in the Morning