A Noise Within Presents Thornton Wilder Talk with Wilder Family Tonight

Legendary playwright and author Thornton Wilder's nephew and literary executor, Tappan Wilder, discusses the life and legacy of his celebrated uncle, at a special illustrated talk, "Thornton Wilder's Versatile Pen." Presented by the acclaimed classical repertory theatre company A Noise Within (ANW), this talk takes place tonight, May 5, 2013, 5:30 p.m., at its Pasadena theatre.

Drawing on family records, Wilder discusses Thornton Wilder's versatility as a writer and the contemporary appreciation of his work, which ranges from the Pulitzer Prize-winning and widely popular play Our Town to novels, librettos, essays, film work, letters, adaptations and translations as well as lectures in English, German and French.

Tickets for "Thornton Wilder's Versatile Pen" are $15, and single tickets for The Beaux' Stratagem currently range from $42 - $60. For tickets and information, contact the A Noise Within box office in-person, via phone at 626-356-3100, or online at www.anoisewithin.org. A Noise Within is located on the corner of Foothill Boulevard and Sierra Madre Villa Avenue at 3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107.

Tappan has served as the literary executor and manager of Thornton Wilder's intellectual property since 1995 and speaks widely about his uncle's life and work. He plays a similar role for the literary legacies of Thornton Wilder's three sisters and brother, all of whom were also writers. He has contributed Afterwords to the nine-volume HarperCollins re-issue of Thornton Wilder's novels and major plays. He has also served as an editor or advisor for editions of Wilder's short plays, selected letters and the operatic version of Our Town, among a number of special projects. He is especially proud of assistance given to Penelope Niven, author of the major new (2012) Thornton Wilder biography. A graduate of Yale College, he holds a Master of Arts degree in American history from the University of Wisconsin (Madison) and a Master of Philosophy degree in American Studies from Yale. He is a member of Pen-American Center, a Trustee of the Yale Library Associates, and an honorary trustee of Long Wharf Theatre (New Haven) and serves as honorary president of the Thornton Wilder Society. He recently launched the first Thornton Wilder family website: www.thorntonwilder.com.

Visit www.anoisewithin.org for more information.