Joy Comes in the Morning

A Performance Reading In the Style of Radio Drama, with Music and Effects

Alyson Richman's
The Lost Wife

Prepared for LONG ISLAND READS 2012
Available from March 20 to May 15
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.

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.

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 of Readings in the Style of Radio Drama

The Performers

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.

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, 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

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

About Readings in the Style of Radio Drama

JOY COMES IN THE MORNING by Jonathan Rosen (David, with Gail Merzer Behrens as Deborah)

Milton Pincus, Chairman, Workmen's Circle at Nassau Cultural Center, East Meadow: "A moving, thoughtful, memorable presentation." Phyllis L. Cox, Programmer, Jericho Public Library: "Wonderful, as always. The patrons thought both David and Gail did a beautiful reading." Jessica Ley, Program Coordinator, Port Washington Public Library: "Excellent. Our patrons look forward to David's productions, finding them entertaining AND educational."Roberta Weinstein-Cohen, SAGE Program Coordinator, Woodbury Jewish Center, "The performance was excellent and held the attention of the audience."

THE COLOR OF WATER by James McBride (David as Narrator, Debbie Starker as Ruth)

Barbara Minerd, Public Relations Director, Shelter Rock Public Library: “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." Marion Waller, Professional Theatre 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. The high school students who attended commented that they found that the actors made the story even more relevant to their experiences in class."

TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY by John Steinbeck (David as Steinbeck and his Characters)

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." 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." 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!"

SNOW IN AUGUST by Pete Hammil (David as the Rabbi, Matt Stashin reading boys' voices)

Lorraine Paesano and Mary Frayne, Librarians, Middle Country Public Library: “The accents, the shifting of characters, the musical accompaniment – all added to a magical reading." 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 actors did a wonderful job creating characters and voices." Evelyn Pusinelli, Program Coordinator, Hicksville Public Library: "The audience was enthralled with the reading; the presentation held their attention. Excellent."

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

Lorraine Paesano, Adult Services Librarian, Middle Country Public Library at Centereach: "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."