Philip Cook News

'To be or not to be, that is the question,' is probably the best-known line of any of Shakespeare's plays. Spoken by Hamlet, this quote, and so many more that have become common-place, will be heard during Curtain Call's Shakespeare on the Green presentation, of Hamlet, July 12 through 22. Curtain Call is thrilled to bring this searing Shakespearean tragedy of murder and revenge to Stamford for its 15th annual free, outdoor production.

'To be or not to be, that is the question,' is probably the best-known line of any of Shakespeare's plays. Spoken by Hamlet, this quote, and so many more that have become common-place, will be heard during Curtain Call's Shakespeare on the Green presentation, of Hamlet, July 12 through 22. Curtain Call is thrilled to bring this searing Shakespearean tragedy of murder and revenge to Stamford for its 15th annual free, outdoor production.

Alternative facts, mistaken identities, devious servants and passionate young love collide in The Liar by acclaimed American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist David Ives.

Alternative facts, mistaken identities, devious servants and passionate young love collide in The Liar by acclaimed American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist David Ives.

Alternative facts, mistaken identities, devious servants and passionate young love collide in The Liar by acclaimed American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist David Ives.

Town Players of Newtown is pleased to announce the opening of SIGHT UNSEEN by Don Margulies on Friday night, July 22 at 8 PM at The Little Theatre.

Michael's novel draws directly on his experience working with the disabled (For more than five years he's also been President and sometimes ED of Pathways Academy, a school for kids with Autism and other learning issues). Falling tells the story of people who have been shelved in nursing home warehouses, or have otherwise lost their livelihood and value to society, and the narrative arc explores how the human dimension continues to shine in these human beings. In his own life Michael has discovered that people who are in the process of losing their identities, occupations, and old friends are able to help him recognize a deeper truth about the human predicaments they share. This is a human truth which he also finds celebrated in Eastern spiritual teachings. Encountering the core of humanity in people whose familiar lives have dissolved, he seeks to learn their secret while he still has time on my side. About the Book: Larry works in an Albuquerque nursing home and like many of its residents he is not thrilled to be at this last-stop warehouse for old folks. Trained as a counselor, he hardly notices the human spirit flowing around him until he meets Bill Foster. Bill, a successful clinical psychologist, is lying comatose after a left hemisphere stroke, as Philip Cook, one of his oldest patients, leans over the hospital bed listening intently to his inarticulate attempts to speak. Through Philip's uncanny understanding of Bill's incoherent mutterings, an unlikely collaboration begins, linking the unconfident Larry with the experienced but speech-damaged Dr. Bill. That summer, with Larry's wife and son out of town, Bill's counseling practice helps renew Larry confidence as a therapist andat the nursing home-he starts to see residents, families, and fellow staff as fellow human beings. But old traumas (the drowning death of his brother and his misplaced blame of his father) run deep: each step seems to open the door for further falls from grace. This is a novel about disability and the human depth that is left behind after the loss of physical and cognitive faculties. It is also a book about the power of forgiveness. Falling on the Bright Side is available in both print and ebook formats. Book Details: Falling on the Bright Side By Michael Gray Publisher: ABQ Press ISBN: 978-0991604630 ASIN: B00U6JZFZ0 Pages: 325 Genre: Fiction (mainstream) About The Author: Before coming to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he now reside with his wife and two sons, Michael Gray lived in Montreal, Canada and published short stories and poetry in the Antigonish and Wascana Reviews. He traveled in Europe for six months and South America for three months, but it was while working on farms, ranches, and an open-pit copper mine in Canada that he heard a door into the future creak open. Michael's memoir, The Flying Caterpillar (ABQ Press, 2012), as well as being a travel log of his life to-date, gives an account of his two decades with Friends in Time and explores the teachings and encounters which have proved to be valuable for a lifetime. In 2012, he also published Asleep at the Wheel of Time (ABQ Press), a SF novel about Whales, Aliens and humans. Both these books express his concern about the state of planet Earth in light of our accumulating indifference to the plight of our only home. For review copies, author interviews, or more information please contact: Michael Gray Email: mgray (at) nmia.com Author: http://www.michaelgrayauthor.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichaelGrayAuth Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Michael.Gray.Author

Nominees for the 5th Annual Indie Series Awards have been revealed in a special episode of We Love Soaps TV. The ISAs celebrate the best in independently produced, scripted entertainment created for the Web.

The Ridgefield Theater Barn will present Becky's New Car, a charming comedy by Steven Dietz, directed by Sherry Asch and produced by Cheryl Boyd, starting Friday, November 15th. The play, an endearing look at the choices we make and their inevitable consequences, will run Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm through December 7th, with Sunday matinees at 2pm on November 24th and December 1st.