See Jordan Beswick & Amelia Campbell, and More in January At The Drama Book Shop

Founded in 1917 by the Drama League, the Drama Book Shop became an independent bookstore in 1923 and since that time has been deemed a quintessential New York City cultural institution. Over the past 100 years, the Drama Book Shop has secured its reputation as the city's best source for theatrical works, with over 8,000 plays regularly in stock. In 2011, the Drama Book Shop received a Tony Award Honor for Excellence in the Theatre. Given since 1990, this award is bestowed upon individuals, organization, and institutions that have demonstrated profound achievement in the theatre but are ineligible in any of the established Tony categories.

The Drama Book Shop opened in its current home on West 39th Street in 2020 under new ownership. Long-time friends and patrons of the bookstore Thomas Kail and Lin-Manuel Miranda, along with Jeffrey Seller and James L. Nederlander purchased the store from Rozanne Seelen, whose late husband Arthur Seelen had bought the store in 1958. Over the years, the store has moved several times, most recently located on West 40th Street. When the store opened there in December of 2001, a theatre troupe from Wesleyan University - Back House Productions - founded by Kail, John Buffalo Mailer, Neil Stewart and Anthony Veneziale became the resident theater company. They convened downstairs in the store's 60-seat Arthur Seelen Theatre, and in 2002 they began to rehearse a new musical. Written by Mr. Miranda and directed by Mr. Kail, "In The Heights" went on to win several Tony Awards in 2008.

The new location, designed by "Hamilton" scenic designer David Korins and his team, pays homage to twentieth century European cafes and reading rooms, and features a full-service cafe serving coffee, teas, and light snacks.

Under the direction of Mark-Eugene Garcia and David Rigano, the Drama Book Shop presents enlightening author and playwright events diverse in presenters and subject matter. Master arts chroniclers such as Peter Filichia and Robert Viagas to new artists with a solid story speak with enthusiastic audiences.

All events ate on Tuesday evenings, 7:30 - 8:30pm EST at the book shop located at 266 West 39th Street New York City. Events are free with the purchase of the guest speakers book or play. All events are produced in association with Jay Michaels Global Communications.

Tuesday, January 9: Our Lady of Perpetual Donuts with Jordan Beswick and Amelia Campbell.

Come and join us at the Drama Book Shop for an evening with the acclaimed playwright Jordan Beswick, as he delves into the captivating world of his play, "Our Lady of Perpetual Donuts." Adding to the magic of the evening, we are thrilled to have the renowned Broadway star, Amelia Campbell, join us to perform a reading from this extraordinary play.

About the Play: Step into the world of Edna, the donut lady of Hayward, CA, as she shares her remarkable tale of survival with a group of incarcerated teenage female offenders. Through sheer determination, creativity, boundless love, and a dash of divine intervention, Edna escaped the clutches of her would-be destroyers and discovered salvation in the most unexpected of places: donuts. Her humble home and donut shop have served as a safe haven for abused and neglected youth for years. After hearing her speak, one young inmate was heard saying, "I feel like I just spent an hour listening to the sun talk about darkness."

Tuesday, January 16: The Affair Plays- With Hayley St. James

About the Plays: "A Godawful Small Affair: A Play in Two Rooms"

Jodie and Nessa, a twentysomething lesbian couple, find themselves in an unexpected U-haul situation. Meanwhile, their neighbor Luca, a touch-starved, non-binary stoner, receives a visit from the alien angel ghost of David Bowie. All of this unfolds against the backdrop of a raging pandemic. Though a wall physically separates them, their lives are about to intersect in unexpected ways. Can a relationship become routine when there's nothing else? Can life? And can a change in routine become a blessing? This relatably messy, kind of sad, kind of hopeful, and deeply intimate play explores touch, longing, time, and routine in the age of Corona, all with a touch of David Bowie magic.

"It's Confusing, These Days: An Election Week Companion"

Following a summer filled with turmoil, time seems to return to normal for the neighbors-turned-throuple: Jodie, Nessa, and Luca. However, when the pandemic hits close to home on the eve of the most important political week of the year, an unexpected road trip to perhaps bid farewell becomes necessary. Capturing the messiness of Election Week 2020, this short play serves as a bonus third act to "A Godawful Small Affair." It delves into anxiety, hope, fear, and the generation gap between millennials and their boomer parents during a politically charged week in a year like no other.

Tuesday, January 23: Save Me a Seat - On the Road with Hello Dolly! - with Lewis J. Stadlen

"SAVE ME A SEAT is a wickedly accurate account of the grit and the glory of a year on the road with a great American musical." - Doug Hughes

About the book: "SAVE ME A SEAT! " with those artistic souls, of whom I am one, who either find an outlet to exercise their creative bent or become a menace to society. Nowhere in my experience is satisfaction and disappointment more dramatic than when your colleagues reside several feet down the hall, or across the aisle during a ten-hour hour bus ride, with the hope that your next destination will lead to eternal happiness.

There have been thousands of books written about the theatre, but I am unaware of another that details the daily life of a band of traveling players. Those who toil before the footlights and those an audience will never see. Hearty souls who unload the trucks and turn on the lights and maintain the wigs. Henceforth, a theatre book like no other. I have done my best not to disguise my likes and dislikes. To do so would be to miss the point.

Tuesday, January 30: Taming the Cyclops, How to Do Your Best Work in an On-Camera Audition

About the Book: An audition is a difficult place to showcase your skills as an actor. And an on-camera audition is the hardest. Using Ellen Novack s system of preparing for auditions & invaluable tips about working on-camera, Taming the Cyclops will help you master the on-camera audition and book the job!

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