James Thurber News

New author J. R. Strayve, Jr. has written a novel that early readers compare to the historical fiction storytelling of multiple bestselling author, Ken Follett. Being likened to an novelist with over 160 million books sold is high praise for any author, especially a brand new one. "Braxton's Century" tells the story of a British aristocrat from birth in 1866 until his 100th birthday. As a young boy, he is surrounded by the rarefied world of his fictional royal family. Protagonist Prince Braxton is typical of the men in classic 19th Century romance stories. He is brilliant, strikingly handsome, talented, and ambitious. Readers will be mesmerized as Braxton builds fame and fortune in London, Vienna, Venice, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Tokyo, Calcutta, San Francisco, Colorado, and New York. The novel follows an interesting cast of characters including Braxton's mother, a Contessa who became a Princess before being crowned Queen Mercedes. Historical Fiction fans can learn more about the book by visiting the book's website www.BraxtonsCentury.com, where readers can download a copy of the first chapter. On the site, they can click on a link to the Publishizer Crowdfunding page to learn more about how author J.R. Strayve, Jr. plans to interact with his readers, solicit their input on final cover design and invite them to participate in the book's formal launch this summer. Here are some early reader comments sent to the author: '...I really liked the first chapter. Really captivating, great character development already and well written. I'm ready for the rest of the book! (I left the manuscript on the plane purposely. Hopefully it will spread virally)' - Tom Lein '...I received the first chapter of your book. I downloaded and read it in bed last night. I have to say, I totally enjoyed reading it. It was as if I was in attendance to all the going on. Can't wait to get the book so can finish reading it. It is definitely my kind of story.' - Lin Haymaker J. R. Strayve, Jr. has a bit of Author James Thurber's daydreaming character Walter Mitty in him. The father of three adult children and three grandchildren, creating stories for them was one of the best parts of parenting for this true creative. "Braxton's Century" came to life after Strayve suffered an accident in 2016 and was only able to work part-time as a Financial Planner in San Diego, California where he still lives. Fatigued and weakened by illness, he passed out while working out at a gym. After the accident it took a few months to regain his strength, so he would go for long walks to exercise and refocus his thoughts. He says that during those walks in the inspiring beauty of San Diego, he reverted to the 'daydreaming, window gazing, wildly imaginative' days of his youth which gave birth to Prince Braxton. Strayve's favorite person history is Winston Churchill who was born in 1875. His familiarity with the time-period, vivid imagination and literary license gave birth to this gripping page-turner that readers say is hard to put down.

'SCREAMING SECRETS', written by writer and philosopher Alexander Matthews, forms part of Matthews' debut two-play season at the Tristan Bates Theatre in Covent Garden. The first play, 'Screaming Secrets' is set in 1975, in a world of free love, flared trousers, and deep thinking.

The playwright and philosopher Alexander Matthews presents the debut of his two witty social dramas at Covent Garden's Tristan Bates Theatre in spring 2018. 'Screaming Secrets' and 'Glass Roots' will have back-to-back runs and will form the first Alexander Matthews Season in the UK. Both plays are directed by Evan Keele with production design by Nancy Surman.

The playwright and philosopher Alexander Matthews presents the debut of two of his witty social dramas at Covent Garden's Tristan Bates Theatre in spring 2018. 'Screaming Secrets' and 'Glass Roots' will have back-to-back runs and will form the first Alexander Matthews Season in the UK.

Playwright Carlyle Brown is the recipient of the William Inge Distinguished Achievement in the American Theater Award, at the 37th Annual William Inge Theatre Festival at Independence Community College, Kansas. The Inge Festival, the Official Theatre Festival of the State of Kansas, takes place May 9-12, 2018.

Thurber House has announced that, along with host of The Daily Show Trevor Noah and novelist Aaron Thier, Ken Pisani is one of three finalists for the coveted Thurber Prize for American Humor for his debut novel AMP'D, published by St. Martin's Press.

'Eleanora Duse Dies in Pittsburgh' is a short dark comedy, written by Don Nigro about the terror and holiness of theater. Famous Italian actress Eleanora Duse finds herself regretful of her past actions and attempts to find some sort of relief only to be pestered by the comedic interactions of other famous characters around her, leaving her more uncertain of her eventual fate. Theater for the New City's Dream Up Festival will present the play's New York premiere August 27 to September 12. Aan Steele directs and heads the cast of eight as Duse.

A series of tweets on the parody account @TheTweetofGod landed American comedy writer David Javerbaum a book deal. Eventually that book, The Last Testament: A Memoir By God, was adapted for the stage and renamed as An Act of God. The stage version premiered at Broadway's Studio 54 Theatre in 2015 with Big Bang Theory sitcom star Jim Parsons in the leading role. A second run featured Will & Grace's Sean Hayes in the leading role, and now the B Street Theatre will give the holy role to Nick Cearley (Buyer & Cellar).

Honoring the anniversary of the birth and death of William Shakespeare, Centenary Stage Company is pleased to present classical theatre giants Randall Duk Kim and Anne Occhiogrosso starring in, The Pleasure of His Company: Our Love Affair with William Shakespeare and the First Folio, an evening of personal recollections, dramatic scenes and stories of Shakespeare's influence on Kim and Occhiogrosso's lives and careers for more than four decades on Sunday, April 23  at 3:00pm in the Lackland Performing Arts Center.

The Revival, a new comedy theater in Hyde Park, announces its lineup of shows and events playing in November 2016. Inspired by the legacy of the Compass Players, The Revival brings improvisational comedy back to the same corner where it was invented in 1955!

The Revival, a new comedy theater in Hyde Park, announces its lineup of shows and events playing in November 2016. Inspired by the legacy of the Compass Players, The Revival brings improvisational comedy back to the same corner where it was invented in 1955!

The 1979 Off-Broadway musical was the first collaboration from Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.

Oak Park Festival Theatre is in the midst of 'the most BUSIEST time of the year,' presenting their 9th annual Midwinter's Tales: Sweet Home December on Saturday, December 5, 2015.

Every Tuesday, eager cartoonists line up outside the office of New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff to show off their work. After he sifts through thousands of submissions, the magazine ends up buying and publishing about 15 each week. 

South County High School Theatre department prepares to bring the community more comic relief at the start of this festive season, with the presentation of its fall production of Jabberwock at Dale S. Rumberger Auditorium, November 12-14.

Master playwrights Neil LaBute, Rajiv Joseph, Stephen Belber are offering one-one-one master advice contest for writers!

Following in the footsteps of Jennifer Morrison (ONCE UPON A TIME, WARRIOR, HOUSE) and Charlie Carver (TEEN WOLF, THE LEFTOVERS), actor/director Matthew Lillard (SCREAM, THE BRIDGE, THE DESCENDANTS, SCOOBY-DOO) has launched a social media challenge to help bring American theater to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

In the West Coast premiere of 'Lost Generation' the complex and dangerous friendship of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald with Ernest Hemingway is traced in this funny, surreal and dark play which presents their evolving attractions, entanglements, jealousies, conflicts, and madness.

In the West Coast premiere of 'Lost Generation' the complex and dangerous friendship of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald with Ernest Hemingway is traced in this funny, surreal and dark play which presents their evolving attractions, entanglements, jealousies, conflicts, and madness.

Centenary Stage Company presents the world premiere of Randall Duk Kim and Anne Occhiogrosso starring in "Then Came Each Actor," a celebration of and tribute to the legendary actors and actresses of the great classical stage tradition -- Sarah Siddons, Henry Irving, Julia Marlowe, Edwin Booth, Sarah Bernhardt, Eleonora Duse, Paul Robeson, Morris Carnovsky and Phoebe Brand -- whose body of work and lives on and off the stage have inspired Kim and Occhiogrosso for over four decades.