Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Librivox: Love and Friendship

 I worked a bit on this one (voice of the Innkeeper).

Love and Freindship (Dramatic Reading)

Jane Austen (1775 - 1817)

Love and Freindship [sic] is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was fourteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Love and Freindship. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Love and Freindship in “Volume the Second”. Love and Freindship is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of fifteen letters, most of which are written from the perspective of the protagonist, Laura, who recounts her extraordinary personal history to her friend Isabel’s daughter. The novel satirizes sentimental novels, which were a popular genre at the time. Austen’s early works are frequently published with the original spelling errors unaltered, a practice that is particularly conspicuous in the case of Love and Freindship because of the spelling error in the title. Austen dedicated this novelette to her cousin Eliza de Feuillide, who is believed by literary critics to have inspired multiple characters in Austen’s writings, including the titular character in the novel Lady Susan. In 2016, Lady Susan was adapted into a film that borrowed the title Love & Friendship, albeit with the spelling corrected. - Summary by David Purdy

Cast List:

Laura: Irene Rubio

Sophia: Devorah Allen
Edward Lindsay: Larry Wilson
Isabel: rosefiasco
Augusta: Jenn Broda
Gustavus: Tomas Peter
Polydore: David Purdy
Claudia: Michelle Purdy
Sir Edward: Adrian Stephens
Augustus: redrun
Philippa: Norah Nelson
Lord St. Clair: Algy Pug
Janetta: deaspoke
MacDonald: ToddHW
Servant: Greg Giordano
Postilion: Rich Brown
Innkeeper: John Payton
Narrator: James R. Hedrick

Genre(s): Dramatic Readings, Epistolary Fiction, Humorous Fiction

Language: English

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

LibriVox - The Clandestine Marriage

David Garrick (1717 - 1779) and George Colman the Elder (1732 - 1794)

A secret liaison and wedding. What will happen when they find out? - Summary by Michele Eaton

Cast List
Lord Ogleby: Greg Giordano
Sir John Melvil: Adrian Stephens
Sterling: ToddHW
Lovewell: Jim Locke
Canton: Alan Mapstone
Brush: Krista Zaleski
Serjeant Flower: John Payton
Traverse: Algy Pug
Trueman: Lynette Caulkins
Mrs Heidelberg: WendyKatzHiller
Miss Sterling: Annie Mars
Fanny: Jenn Broda
Betty: Adrienne Prevost
Chambermaid: Mira Williams
Trusty: Lauren-Emma Blake
Servant: David Purdy
Narrator: Michele Eaton

Genre(s): Humorous Fiction, Plays, Romance

Language: English

Sunday, December 25, 2022

2022 Hogswatch Letter

Dear friends and family,

I did not see this year coming.

Early in January I decided that it was time to get back into  theatre.  After a few auditions, I was cast in a minor role for “Harvey,” at the Lofte, and enjoyed it so much that I was back soon after, for the show “Remembering Carol Burnett.”   Re-discovering my place in this community was the best thing I could have done.  

I’ve also continued with my weekly Bedtime Reading livestream, picking up a few viewers.  I also have a number of new Librivox projects underway.  I’m hoping to eventually produce voice projects for pay.  To that end cleared out my “hobbit room” upstairs and converted it into a studio.  It’s amazing how quiet it is up there.

Still working at the railroad.  Less said about that, the better.  Four years to retirement; can’t come quickly enough.

Went on an Alaskan cruise with Arthur & Anita & grandkids.  Lucian performed at karaoke night for the first time, and he was great!  The kid’s coming out of his shell.  The cruise was not quite as healing as our previous one – we all caught Covid on the last day, delaying our trip home by at least an extra travel day.  A minor strain, fortunately, but it did ruin a 3-year record.  

One of my cats scared me this week by slipping outside & running off (R-U-N-N-O-F-T).  She was only gone a day before realizing that the cold wasn’t going to get any better out there, even with the home-made shelters that I’ve placed  under the porch.  It’s a good thing she came back on her own.  Apparently she’s sly enough to get food from a live trap without setting it off.

In October, I started seeing an old college friend, Cinthia Pitcher.  We quickly bonded over our shared experiences (including, sadly, the loss of a spouse).  Within the month, we were engaged, and we are now getting a new house together for when she moves to Omaha in 2023.  We are planning a wedding for next October.

So, by this time next year, I’ll be sending these from a new address.

Stay safe, everybody.


Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Librivox Project - The Tyrrany of the Dark

I read for the male lead, Dr. Morton Serviss.  All files available here.

The Tyranny of the Dark

Hamlin Garland (1860 - 1940)

Dr. Morton Serviss is a promising young scientist who believes in the here and now. Viola Lambert is a
beautiful young woman who is haunted, and sometimes possessed, by the spirits of those who have died. After a chance meeting, they both are about to have their perceptions challenged.

Viola longs to escape from the life of a medium, but is unable to do so. Her mother and her pastor both encourage her in her abilities, and besides, she believes that the spirits themselves will never release her. Dr. Serviss doesn't believe in spirits, but he does see the necessity of her escape from the life she is living, and he is determined to release her. - Summary by Devorah Allen

THE CHARACTERS CONCERNED
Those in the Light:

Viola Lambert, the subject: Availle
Mrs. Lambert, her mother: Nichole James
Jospeh Lambert, her step-father: ToddHW
Anthony Clarke, her pastor: James R. Hedrick
Dr. Britt, her physician: Mike Manolakes
Morton Serviss, her lover: John Payton
Kate Rice, her friend: Devorah Allen
Dr. Weissmann, her investigator: kromaine
Simeon Pratt, her patron: Algy Pug
Clinton Ward: Roger Melin
Mr. Lambert's Cook: Wayne Cooke
Dinner Hostess: Jenn Broda
Dinner Guest: Anthony Joseph
Pratt's Guest 1: Jennifer Wilson
Pratt's Guest 2: Mira Williams
A Detective: Mason Lewis
An Author: Mira Williams
Pratt's Usher: Mason Lewis
Pratt's Servant: Wayne Cooke
Pratt's Maid: Scarbo
Dr. Tolman: Shawn Clayton
Kate's Maid: Lauren-Emma Blake
A Reporter: Andrea Atwood
Those in the Dark:
Waldron, her father: Mark Kilkelly
MacLeod, her "control": Alan Mapstone
Waltie, her poltergeist: Andrea Atwood
Jennie Pratt, Pratt's eldest daughter: Jenn Broda
"Loggy": Larry Wilson
Great Aunt Dosia: Jennifer Wilson
Adele: Jenn Broda
Mrs. Serviss: Jennifer Wilson
Mina: Jenn Broda
Narrated by: Michele Eaton

Genre(s): Dramatic Readings, Horror & Supernatural Fiction

Language: English

Friday, August 19, 2022

Would You Like To Be A Cleric For Dunstan?

This happened in Robin's game, while we lived in Denver in the early 80's

 Our gnome cleric (who went by “Twit”)  had just discovered that he could gain experience by converting folk to his religion.  Eager for an easy 50xp, he accosted a random npc on the street.  

“How would you like to be a cleric for Dunstan?” he opened.  “It’s really great!  You get to adventure everywhere!  I’ve even been to the ninth circle of Hell!  And treasure like you wouldn’t believe!  I’ve got magic swords coming out of my ass!”

Now, one thing you must understand:  In our game, you just don’t say random crap like that in character, because you never know who might be listening.  Twit wasn’t kidding about the wide variety of adventures he’d been on, but he kind of left out the many powerful entities who still held grudges, and could bestow curses.  

The next couple of rounds were painful for Twit, but he survived.  And he earned the 50xp conversion bonus.  

The pile of swords all had “Nystuls’ Magic Aura” on them and a somewhat disgusted merchant offered fifty gold for the lot.  

The curse could have been removed - Twit himself was high enough level to cast the spell - but he never did.  

A couple of years later, I heard that another DM in Denver used Twit as a random encounter - but with a weaponized version of the curse.   Apparently a party encountered a gnome who merely turned around, dropped trou, and uttered the phrase:

“I’ve got magic swords coming out of my ass!”

Monday, June 27, 2022

They can't make this right

Not so far as I'm concerned.  

I want Trump found guilty of insurrection.  Of plotting to overthrow the legitimate government of the United States.  And everyone in Congress who helped him, the same.

I want them all jailed.

I want every single Trump appointee removed from office, and every decision they ever made while in office declared null and void.

I won't get what I want.  Probably not even one part of it.  

They'll never make this right.  Not in my lifetime.

Monday, May 30, 2022

Librivox: Lady Frederick

Lady Frederick, a Comedy in Three Acts

W. Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965)

Lady Frederick is a comedy by the British writer W. Somerset Maugham, written early in his career. The play was first seen in London in 1907, and was very successful, running for 422 performances. The title role was played by Ethel Irving. In New York it was first performed in 1908, with Lady Frederick played by Ethel Barrymore, who reprised her role in the play's film adaptation, The Divorcee. In the play, Lady Frederick is an Irish widow, seriously in debt; she must deal with suitors who have various motives for proposing marriage, and with the man with whom she once had an affair. - Summary by Lynette Caulkins


Cast list:
Lady Frederick Berolles: Ailis
Sir Gerald O'Mara: Anthony Joseph
Mr. Paradine Fouldes: John Payton  <--  ME
Marchioness of Mereston: Anna Maria
Marquess of Mereston: Tomas Peter
Captain Montgomerie: GlennProud3
Admiral Carlisle: ToddHW
Rose: Christina Fu
Lady Frederick's Dressmaker, Madame Claude: WendyKatzHiller
Lady Frederick's Footman: James R. Hedrick
Lady Frederick's Maid: Rapunzelina
Thompson: Scott Caulkins
Servant: David Purdy
Stage Directions: Lynette Caulkins

Genre(s): Plays, Comedy

Language: English