A BEN FRANKLIN FOR ALL SEASONS

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An entertaining, enlightening, theatrical presentation for any occasion,
especially appropriate for Ben's birthday (January 17), his passing (April 17).
celebrations of Independence (July 4), political events (primaries and election days),
any anniversaries of defining moments in American History.

In his day, he was the most famous of all Americans,
here and abroad. With David Houston in the role, Ben—perhaps the most versatile creator since da Vinci—quotes and amuses himself at his desk—with a few friends to hear him practice. He has been asked to prepare a speech explaining his popularity and power, and he finds it difficult to keep a straight face:
his comic alter-ego, Poor Richard, keeps springing to mind.

Script adaptation by David Houston
From Franklin's writings and autobiographical sketches

$300 fee includes actor in costume, sound technician, small setting, music equipment,
and travel (included for Long Island and Queens); facility is asked to supply a performance
area about 8' x 12', simple lighting, and, if the space is large, a clip-on wireless microphone;
running time is about an hour

Ben Franklin was a successful publisher in Philadelphia. He founded this country’s postal system, served as Colonial agent to Great Britain, advanced our understanding of electricity, led the protest against taxation, organized America’s first intelligence network and helped draft the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Yet with all his accomplishments, Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us, more of a founding uncle—funny, intimate and easygoing.

Franklin wrote humorous columns and books calling himself “Poor Richard” from 1733 until 1758, and his yearly volume was eagerly devoured by the public. Full of anecdotes, tall tales, witty sayings and sage advice—it made him famous and wealthy. Much of what he included in “Poor Richard’s Almanac” has become part of our language: don’t throw stones if you live in , , , God helps those who help . . . no gain without . . . .

But we shouldn’t think of Franklin as a grandfather-figure who went around saying a penny saved is a penny earned, or as an antiseptic, prudish man. He was not. He was bawdy, roguish, loved to play jokes on his friends, and when England grew oppressive, he was not afraid to rebel.

DAVID HOUSTON, writer/director/performer, has appeared in leading roles in scores of plays and musicals, including Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet, Senex in A Funny Thing, Ben in Death of a Salesman, Major Bouvier in Grey Gardens, Herr Shultz in Cabaret, Horace Giddens in The Little Foxes, and Sir in The Dresser. He is a published and produced writer of fiction and non-fiction. His original plays—including Let's Do It!, Fred and Adele Astaire: The Last Dance, The Ghost of Dorothy Parker, Great Scott and Zelda, The Dickens! and Murder and Madness and Poe—have been seen by a number of Long Island audiences. 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).

Wednesday, March 9, 2011, 7:00 pm, MIDDLE COUNTRY PUBLIC LIBRARY, Centereach
Monday, May 16, 2011, 7:00 pm, MOUNT OLIVE PUBLIC LIBRARY, Flanders, NJ
Saturday, November 5, 2011, 2:00 pm, SEAFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY
Friday, February 3, 2012, noon, PORT WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Monday, February 6, 2012, 2:00 pm, JERICHO PUBLIC LIBRARY
Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 11:15 am, MOLLOY COLLEGE LIFETIME LEARNING, Farmingdale

1706	Born in Boston on January 17
1718	Apprenticed to brother James, a printer
1721	At 15, writes ballads and peddles them on the street
1722	Writes Silence Dogood letters
1723	Flees to Philadelphia and takes a job as printer's assistant
1727	Founds the Junto, or "Leather Apron" Club
1730	Common-law marriage to Deborah Read
1732	First Edition of "Poor Richard's Almanac"
1736	Forms the Union Fire Brigade of volunteer firemen
1737	Appointed Philadelphia postmaster
1738	Studies French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin
1742	Invents the Franklin Stove
1743	Organizes the American Philosophical Society
1746	Publishes "Plain Truth" calling for a disciplined defense; begins experiments with electricity
1749	Proposes academy that becomes the University of Pennsylvania; appointed a Commissioner to trade with the Indians
1751	Co-founds the Pennsylvania Hospital
1752	Flies Kite with son William in experiment that links lightning to electricity
1753	Elected a member of the Royal Society; receives M.A. degree from Yale and Harvard
1754	Proposes plan to unite the Colonies; French and Indian War begins
1755	Carries through a bill establishing a volunteer militia; appointed Colonel
1757	Publishes "Way to Wealth"
1761	Invents glass armonica, a musical instrument
1762	Receives LL.D from Oxford and Edinborough
1763	French and Indian War ends; makes a postal inspection tour of the Colonies
1765	Tries to prevent passage of the Stamp Act, which passes in House of Commons
1774	Privy Council meets; Franklin questioned
1775	Elected to Second Continental Congress; proposes first Articles of Confederation
1776	Helps draft The Declaration of Independence; sails to France
1778	Signs treaty of alliance, amity and commerce with France
1782	With John Adams and John Jay, negotiates peace treaty with Britain
1783	Witnesses first manned balloon flight
1785	Elected President of Pennsylvania
1787	At Constitutional Convention, proposes compromise that creates a House with proportional representation and a Senate with equal number of votes per state
1790	Dies on April 17 at age 84; his grave is in the churchyard at Fifth and Arch Streets, Philadelphia