A
Performance Reading
In the Style of Radio Drama, with Music and Effects
Alyson Richman's
The Lost Wife
With
actors Gail Merzer Behrens and David Houston
Script
Adaptation by David Houston
"Richman, once again finds inspiration in art, adding
evocative details to a swiftly moving plot. Her descent into
the horrors of the Holocaust, lends enormous power to
Lenka's experience and makes her reunion with Josef all the
more poignant."—Publishers Weekly. "Tragedy
and hope, love and loss, and the strength to endure are
examined through Richman's graceful writing and powerful
characters."—Booklist. "Daringly
constructed, this moving novel begins at the end and then, in a fully
realized circle through the most traumatic events of the
twentieth century, returns you there in a way that makes
your heart leap."—Loring Mandel, Emmy Award winning
screenwriter of Conspiracy.
"Staggeringly evocative, romantic, heartrending,
sensual, and beautifully written, the Sophie's Choice
of this generation "—John Lescroart,
NY Times
best-selling author. "Begins
with a chilling revelation and had me hooked throughout. A
love story wrapped in tragedy and survival, I read
The Lost Wife in one sitting. Tense, emotional and fulfilling: a
great achievement by Alyson Richman."—Martin
Fletcher, Special Correspondent NBC News, Winner of the
Jewish National Book Award.
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Alyson Richman is the author of:
The Mask Carver's
Son, Swedish Tango, and
The Last Van Gogh.
Her novels are published in more
than ten languages, as of 2012. Her books have received both
national and international critical acclaim,
having been reviewed favorably in
The New York
Times Book Review, The Dallas Morning News,
The
San Francisco Sunday Examiner and Chronicle Book
Review, The Los Angeles Times, and many other
national print outlets. The Last Van Gogh was
nominated as a Book Sense Notable Pick in 2006.
She has appeared on both national television and
radio syndicates promoting her work. A graduate of
Wellesley College and a former Thomas J. Watson
Fellow, she currently lives with her husband and
children in Long Island, New York.
www.alysonrichman.com.
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Contact
David
Houston
(516) 293-2638 –
DH@davidhouston.net
$325
fee includes
actors,
reading stands, music and effects equipment,
and travel (Long Island); facility is asked to supply a performance area
about 8' x
12',
basic lighting, and amplification if the space is large
Running time is about 65 minutes
Scroll, or leap with these links:
Contact
The
Performers
Scheduled
Performances
Photos of Prague for Publicity
Reviews
and Comments
The
Performers
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GAIL
MERZER BEHRENS
has appeared in network TV
shows One Life
to Live, As
The World Turns, and Sex
and the City and in several films including Shadayim,
Hot Chocolate, Divine Intervention, and the recent
remake of The
Manchurian Candidate. Her many Long Island stage
appearances include the roles of Blanche in Brighton
Beach Memoirs, Mollie in The
Mousetrap (David Houston was Major Metcalf in that
production), Honey
in Who’s
Afraid of Virginia Wolf, Claire in Proof,
Chris in Neil Simon’s Rumors,
Laura in Laura (a rare staging of the play version of the movie),
Sarah in Beau Jest, Cecily Pigeon
in The Odd
Couple, Claudia in Nuts,
and Wilma in Lovers and Other Strangers. She has a B.A. in Musical Theatre from
the University
of
New Hampshire. |
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DAVID
HOUSTON
has played, among many roles, Major
Bouvier in Grey Gardens,
Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet, Mayor Shinn
in The Music Man, Ben in Death of a Salesman, Herr
Shultz in Cabaret and Horace Giddens in The
Little Foxes. His
original plays, including Great Scott and
Zelda, Murder and Madness and Poe, and The Ghost of Dorothy Parker have
been seen at a number of Long Island libraries. Among
his 14 published books, his Joan Crawford biography Jazz
Baby was published by St. Martin's Press and his
mystery novel Shadows on the Moon was published
by Leisure Books. His "readings in the
style of radio drama" include Pete Hamill's Snow in
August, the Sherlock Holmes novel
Study
in Scarlet,
Steinbeck's Travels with Charley,
Three Short Stories by I.B. Singer, and Ray Bradbury's
Fahrenheit 451. |
Scheduled
Performances
Tuesday, April 10, 2012, 2:00
pm—Jericho Public Library
Friday, April 13, 2:00
pm—Seaford Public Library
Sunday, April 15, 2:00
pm—Hicksville Public Library
Tuesday, April 17, 12:30
pm—East Meadow Public Library
Wednesday, April 18, 2:00
pm—Long Beach Public Library
Wednesday, April 18, 7:00
pm—Manhasset Public Library
Thursday, April 19,
1:00—Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library
Monday, April 23, 2:00
pm—Elmont Public Library
Thursday, April 26, 2:30 pm—West
Babylon Public Library
Wednesday, February 13, 2013, 3:00
pm—JASA, Long Beach
Photos of Prague
for Publicity
Photos by Jessica Ley (may also
be used in black and white)
Old Town Square
and Tyn Church
Church of St.
Francis of Assisi (left) and the Charles Bridge
The Roofs of Old
Town
St. Vitas
Cathedral at Prague Castle
Entrance to
Josefhov
Comments
and Reviews
Alyson
Richman, author of the book, "David,
you were wonderful and I know everyone had the same reaction
as my husband and I to your performance. I hope you will
continue to get invitations to do the performance even after
the end of Long Island Reads. You and Gail deserve it!"
Patricia
Magee, Reference Librarian, Elmont Public Library:
"David Houston's dramatic reading of The Lost Wife
was beyond expectations. The audience was mesmerized and
gave long applause at the end. Every single patron exclaimed
that they loved the performance; many exclaimed it brought
tears to their eyes." Patron, to
Edie Kalickstein, Publicity and Programs, Long Beach Public
Library: "I didn't get a chance to
tell you how outstanding was the program 'The Lost Wife.'
The dramatic reading is such an effective way to highlight a
book. The two actors were professional and wonderful in
portraying very emotional content. There was not a sound
from the audience. It is a shame that more young people
don't get a chance to hear 'history.' I know attempts are
made by [concentration camp] survivors to speak to high
schoolers. As it is said, 'If we don't learn from the past
-- ' Thank you again for presenting this inspiring
program." Debbie Dellis-Quinn, Program Director,
Manhasset Public Library: "You've
been bringing top-notch programming to the Manhasset Library
for years, and this year you outdid yourself, David. Gail
Merzer-Behrens was excellent in her role as Lenka. As I
stood by the door after the show, there was not one person
who did not come to me raving of how they were moved by your
work and performances. Same time next year, David, and maybe
again during the holidays." Roseann Acosta, Public
Relations and Programming, Hicksville Public Library:
"The performance was wonderful and moving. Patrons walked
out in tears. It was a beautiful reading from the book.
Kristen Jording, Adult Services, Seaford Public
Library: The 'Lost Wife' performance
was inspiring, and everyone who attended gave excellent
feedback. Gail Merzer-Behrens was fantastic!" Nadine
Connors, Publicity and Programming, Hewlett-Woodmere Public
Library: "This was, for me, one of
the best you have done. I think you masterfully
reconstructed the story. The dialog flowed, and it was easy
to follow the timeline. I also like two characters, two
actors, because there is a nice tension as you work off one
another." Carol Abel, Director, West Babylon
Public Library: "Patrons loved the performance!
Thank you."
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