The Drama & Plays category has 329 audiobooks on Listento.it, with an average listener rating of 4.3★ across 648 ratings. The most-rated is Girls & Boys.
Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus
Summary
Titus Andronicus is believed to be Shakespeare's first tragedy and the revenge play is among the most violent and bloody of his canon. The story tells of a famous Roman general engaged in a cycle of revenge with his opponents. The version is abridged and adapted into plain English. This is a theatrical audio production by a full cast. It is completed with extensive interpretation including scene setting, the relationship between Titus Andronicus and Shakespeare's other works, interpretation of the key monologues and speeches of the play in Shakespearian language, detail on historical staging and study guide context, as well as details on this specific adaptation by the playwright Hazel Jeffs. As such, this is a useful guide for anyone diving deeper into Shakespeare - whether as a student or an enthusiast. This version includes substantial additional material including analysis of the play, study guide questions, analysis of key questions, notes on historical staging, and how this play fits into the Shakespeare canon.
©2021 Oxted Press (P)2021 Oxted Press
The Busy World Is Hushed
Summary
With wisdom, humor and insight, The Busy World Is Hushed examines the contradictions we find in our faith, our families, and ourselves. Hannah, a widowed Episcopal minister, is hoping to translate a long-lost gospel when she is challenged by both her scholarly assistant and her wayward gay son. But when family secrets are revealed, only the intercession of a stranger can help Hannah find peace.
(P)2007 L.A. Theater Works
Alan Bennett
Summary
Alan Bennett's three classic BBC Radio full-cast dramas:
Kafka's Dick,
Forty Years On, and
An Englishman Abroad.
Kafka's DickAlison Steadman, Richard Griffiths, and Nigel Anthony star in this BBC Radio 4 version of Alan Bennett's acclaimed comedy drama, described by the Daily Telegraph's Gillian Reynolds as "Pure joy". Bennett's brilliantly clever comedy not only examines the relationship between life and art, but also asks, What was Kafka's embarrassing little problem?
Forty Years OnAlan Bennett stars in the production of his own acclaimed satirical comedy about a headmaster of Albion House who is retiring and takes part in the end-of-year entertainment for the last time. It also stars Robert Bathurst and Eleanor Bron.
An Englishman AbroadMichael Gambon and Penelope Wilton star as Guy Burgess and Coral Browne in this BBC Radio full-cast drama based on a real-life chance encounter in 1958 between the world famous spy and a Shakespearean actress.
Clever, funny, and poignant, Alan Bennett's masterful plays are rightly regarded as modern classics.
©2005 BBC Audiobooks, Ltd. (P)2000, 2001, 2004, 2005 BBC Audiobooks Ltd.
The Woman Who Laughed
Summary
Nell Ryder is a sardonic and urbane school teacher transplanted to small-town Michigan in Joyce Carol Oates’ play. But when she gets into a dispute with an aggrieved parent, Nell finds herself accused of impropriety with one of her adolescent charges. A BBC co-production. An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring: Edward Asner as Towers, Lindsay Crouse as Madge, Ethan Glazer as Joey Eaton, Harold Gould as Pitts, Kaitlin Hopkins as Nell, Gary Kroeger as Gil, Jarrett Lennon as Billy, Lana McKissack as Darlene, Marian Mercer as Mrs. Eaton, Tom Virtue as Tuttle. Directed by Gordon House. Recorded before a live audience at the KCRW Studios, Santa Monica in September of 1994.
©1994 Joyce Carol Oates (P)1994 L.A. Theatre Works
Red
Summary
The artist Mark Rothko has just hired Ken, an aspiring artist, to be his assistant and errand boy. Ken discovers that Rothko's temper can run hot, but as he gets to know his boss better, he finds that Rothko has opened him up to more than just painting. A 2010 Tony Award winner for Best Play. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring:
- Alfred Molina as Mark Rothko Jonathan Groff as Ken Directed by Bart DeLorenzo. Recorded by L.A. Theatre Works before a live audience.
©2011 John Logan (P)2013 L.A. Theatre Works
This Is Our Youth
Summary
Starring Mark Ruffalo, Josh Hamilton and Missy Yager, the original cast was reunited for this exclusive L.A. Theatre Works performance of This is Our Youth. In 1982, on Manhattan's Upper West Side, three pot-smoking teenagers are resoundingly rejecting the 1960s ideals of their affluent parents. In hilarious and bittersweet detail, This is Our Youth follows 48 turbulent hours in the lives of three very lost souls at the dawn of the Reagan Era.
©2009 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2009 L.A. Theatre Works
Gulf War and Black
Summary
Gulf War and Black are two one-act plays by acclaimed American author Joyce Carol Oates.Gulf War: An affluent young couple entertains an older couple for an evening of cocktails and politics during the Gulf War. But as the evening continues, the conversation take a bizarre and absurd tone.Black: In this evening of cocktails and dinner, a couple anxiously awaits the arrival of an ex-husband. As the wine glass are drained, the evening becomes dark and intense, revealing the true colors of the characters in this eerie love triangle.This full cast production stars: Edward Asner, Stephanie Dunnam, Rif Hutton, Nan Martin, and Joe Spano.
(P)1993 L.A. Theatre Works; All Rights Reserved
Hamlet
Summary
"The Tragedy of Hamlet", Prince of Denmark, often shortened to Hamlet, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1602. Set in Denmark, the play depicts Prince Hamlet and his revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet's mother. Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play and is considered among the most powerful and influential works of world literature, with a story capable of "seemingly endless retelling and adaptation by others". It was one of Shakespeare's most popular works during his lifetime and still ranks among his most performed, topping the performance list of the Royal Shakespeare Company and its predecessors in Stratford-upon-Avon since 1879. It has inspired many other writers - from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Charles Dickens to James Joyce and Iris Murdoch - and has been described as "the world's most filmed story after Cinderella". Among the most significant works William Shakespeare: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Orpheus, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Troilus and Cressida, The Tempest, Venus and Adonis, Antony and Cleopatra, Measure for Measure, The Winter's Tale and many more.
©2020 Strelbytskyy Multimedia Publishing (P)2020 Strelbytskyy Multimedia Publishing
Arsenic and Old Lace
Summary
An easy-going drama critic discovers that his kind and gentle aunts have a bizarre habit of poisoning gentlemen callers and burying them in the cellar.
Public Domain (P)2020 Eternal Classics
Reasons to Be Happy
Summary
In the sequel to Reasons to Be Pretty, Greg, Steph, Carly, and Kent return a little older, but not necessarily wiser. And don’t worry if you haven’t met them before - there’s more than enough humor and humanity to usher you into the second act of their lives. Includes a backstage conversation with Neil LaBute and the cast. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast production featuring Jenna Fischer, Thomas Sadoski, Gia Crovatin, and Josh Stamberg. Written and directed by Neil LaBute. Recorded by L.A. Theatre Works before a live audience.
©2013 Neil LaBute (P)2013 L.A. Theatre Works
Lenin's Embalmers
Summary
After Vladimir Lenin’s death, Stalin orders two Jewish scientists to preserve Lenin’s body for all time. If they succeed, the rewards will be considerable. If not, it’s the gulag - or worse. Based on real events, Vern Theissen’s nimble dark comedy exposes the absurdities of Soviet life under Stalin. Lenin’s Embalmers is part of L.A. Theatre Works’ Relativity Series featuring science-themed plays. Major funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, bridging science and the arts in the modern world. Starring, in alphabetical order: JD Cullum as Vlad; Gregory Harrison as Lenin; Simon Helberg as Boris; Jon Matthews as Krasin; Rufus Sewell as Stalin; John Sloan as Agent 2; Mark Jude Sullivan as Agent 1; Jocelyn Towne as Nadia Associate Artistic Director, Anna Lyse Erikson. Senior Radio Producer, Ronn Lipkin. Recording Engineer and Editor, Erick Cifuentes. Sound Designer and Mixer, Mark Holden for the Invisible Studios, West Hollywood. Directed by Martin Jarvis.
©2018 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2018 L.A. Theatre Works
Saint Joan
Summary
Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw Presented by The Online Stage According to George Bernard Shaw, Joan of Arc was in fact one of the first Protestant martyrs. She was one of the first apostles of nationalism, and the first French practitioner of Napoleonic realism in warfare. She also refused to accept the specific woman's lot, and dressed and fought and lived as men did. Shaw's exploration of the story of this ingenuous and eponymous heroine is set in six scenes and an epilogue, which takes place on 1456, when the church cleared Joan of the charge of heresy and condemned her accusers of corruption. The ghost of Joan appears and, later, an emissary from the year 1920, to announce Joan's canonization. This production also includes a very condensed version of Shaw's lengthy preface. Cast: Narrator and Duchess de la Trémouille - Anna Grace Robert de Baudricourt, Sentry and Courcelles - Graham Scott Joan - Amanda Friday Bertrand, D'Estivet and Gentleman - Jeff Moon Archbishop and First Assessor - David Stifel De la Trémouille, John de Stogumber and Executioner - Denis Daly Steward and Warwick - Alan Weyman La Hire, Second Assessor and English Soldier - Phil Benson Bluebeard and Ladvenu - David Shears Charles (Dauphin) - Tom Saer Dunois and Third Assessor - Andy Harrington Cauchon - Peter Tucker Inquisitor - Noel Badrian Page - Sarah Bacaller Audio edited by Denis Daly
Public Domain (P)2020 The Online Stage
William Shakespeare: An Invention in Four Acts
Summary
Performed by The Online Stage This play is a fictionalized account of the life of William Shakespeare, beginning from his humble origins in Stratford-upon-Avon with his wife, Anne Hathaway, to his life as a successful playwright in London. This play uses several biographical speculations about Shakespeare's life to tell a fascinating tale, such as his relationship with his wife (to whom he famously left his "second-best bed" in his will), his friendship with fellow playwright and competitor Christopher Marlowe, his interactions with Queen Elizabeth I, and even an extramarital dalliance with the queen's maid of honor, the two-timing temptress Mary Fitton (who is speculated to be the "Dark Lady" to whom Shakespeare refers in his sonnets). Clemence Dane is the nom de plume of Winifred Ashton, an English novelist and playwright, who is best known for her novel Regiment of Women and once won an Academy Award for best story. Cast: Narrator - Anna Grace William Shakespeare - Tom Saer Anne Hathaway - Grace Garrett Christopher Marlowe - Andy Harrington Mary Fitton - Leanne Yau Queen Elizabeth - Linda Barrans Mrs. Hathaway - Sarah Mitchell Henslowe - Alan Weyman Child - Becca Maggie Landlord - Graham Scott Hawker - Craig Franklin Drinking Man - Mark Crowle-Groves
Public Domain (P)2021 The Online Stage
The Sixth Victim & Other Plays
Summary
A collection of new one-act plays, on such subjects as the fate of Jack the Ripper, just why Claudius killed Hamlet's father, the motives of an obsessive-compulsive killer with a computer fixation, a brother and sister at their father's funeral, and a 45-year marriage starting to come apart as the husband begins to forget his life. Written by the author of Coming Out, these five plays are a wonderful addition to any night of one-acts. This audiobook edition employs multiple readers for a more stage-like experience.
©2015 J.T. McDaniel (P)2016 Riverdale Books
The Innocence of Father Brown, Vol. 2
Summary
From London to Cornwall, then to Italy and France, a short, shabby priest takes on bandits, traitors, and killers. Why is he so successful? The reason is that after years spent in the priesthood, Father Brown knows human nature and is not afraid of its dark side. Thus he understands criminal motivation and how to deal with it. The award-winning Colonial Theatre on the Air has dramatized G. K. Chesterton's Father Brown stories from The Innocence of Father Brown with a full cast, music score, and sound effects. Starring J. T. Turner and The Colonial Radio Players Included in Vol. 2: "The Invisible Man" - The inimitable Father Brown is called to help in the hunt for a mysterious killer, known only as an "invisible man". "The Wrong Shape" - Novelist Leonard Quinton has long been an eccentric, but his habits are driving his wife to the point of mania. When death finally comes to Quinton's unconventional home, it's fortunate that Father Brown and his good friend Flambeau are on hand. "The Sins of Prince Saradine": A dream holiday turns into a nightmare for Father Brown and his best friend, Flambeau. Why has the notorious Prince Saradine come to England, and who wants him dead? "The Hammer of God" - Norman Bohun is a man with many enemies, so it comes as no surprise when he's eventually murdered. But Father Brown's biggest problem is in identifying a killer who must possess superhuman strength.
©2014 The Colonial Radio Theatre on the Air (P)2014 The Colonial Radio Theatre on the Air
All the Ways to Say I Love You
Summary
All the Ways to Say I Love You by Neil LaBute, directed by Leigh Silverman, is a thoughtful, psychological solo play centered around the character Faye Johnson, performed by multi-award-winning actress Judith Light (Transparent, American Crime Story, Who's the Boss?). Reflecting on an event from her past, Johnson confronts the defining question of her life: What is the weight of a lie? All the Ways to Say I Love You received its World Premiere production at the MCC Theater in September of 2016. MCC is under the leadership of Artistic Directors Robert Lupone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, and Executive Director Blake West. Bonus content includes an Audible-exclusive conversation between director Leigh Silverman and actress Judith Light.
©2018 Neil LaBute (P)2018 AO Media, LLC.
Reasons to Be Pretty
Summary
What does it mean to be pretty? Do you really need someone to validate your appearance? Neil LaBute tackles our obsession with physical beauty head-on in a work nominated for multiple Tony and Drama Desk Awards. Our production, directed by the playwright, includes original Broadway cast member Thomas Sadoski, whose acclaimed performance also earned aTony nomination. Includes a backstage conversation with Neil LaBute and the cast. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast production featuring Jenna Fischer, Thomas Sadoski, Gia Crovatin, and Josh Stamberg. Written and directed by Neil LaBute. Recorded by L.A. Theatre Works before a live audience.
©2008 Neil LaBute (P)2013 L.A. Theatre Works
The Pit
Summary
Alexander Kuprin prefaced his novel The Pit about the lives of early 20th century Russian prostitutes as follows, "I know many people will find this novel amoral and inappropriate, but nevertheless I dedicated it from the bottom of my heart to mothers and young people" Indeed, the novel's publication was followed by an explosion of outrage. The "good" society accused Kuprin of slander and forever exiled him from its sitting rooms, charity auctions, and holiday balls. Progressive intellectuals winced and shuddered, but could not help admitting Kuprin had a point. As with the works of Marquis de Sade and George Sand, parents hid copies of the book from their children. But those who wanted to read the book found the way. Whether hated or admired, forbidden or applauded - one thing was certain: Kuprin's beautifully written, brutally realistic, vivid, and poignant novel left no one indifferent. Gender inequality and sex trade are still alive today, in our world of supersonic speeds and instant information exchange, hidden behind the latest and greatest political, social, and technological innovation. Strip away the details of the era, and Kuprin's novel suddenly becomes very modern and topical, filled with archetypes that still exist today, and thought-provoking ideas that are bound to send your mind reeling.
©2014 TSK Group LLC (P)2019 TSK Group LLC
The Hole in the Top of the World
Summary
Walter Matthau stars in the story of a climate scientist trying to balance romance and research. The piece is both serious and surreal as Matthau removes the “fourth wall” while addressing the show’s recording engineer. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring Barbara Bain, Zeljko Ivanek and Valerie Landsburg. Directed by Shaun McLoughlin. Recorded before a live audience in Santa Monica, California, in June 1992.
©2012 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2012 L.A. Theatre Works
Please Continue
Summary
Based on the true story of renowned social psychologist Stanley Milgram, Please Continue recounts the infamous obedience experiments at Yale in the 1960s. In that study, participants were asked to administer strong electric shocks to a subject who gave the wrong answer to a question, not knowing that the shocks were fake, and they were the real subject of the study. The play examines how the experiments gave insight into the nature of authoritarianism and individual morality. Includes an interview about science and ethics with Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, a Professor of Education at the Rossier School of Education, a Professor of Psychology at the Brain and Creativity Institute, and a member of the Neuroscience Graduate Program Faculty at the University of Southern California. Please Continue is part of L.A. Theatre Works’ Relativity Series featuring science-themed plays. Major funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, bridging science and the arts in the modern world. Directed by Rosalind Ayres. An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring: Tara Lynne Barr as Margaret Hopson Will Brittain as James Sanders Jake Green as Saul Dashoff Taj Jegaraj as Harold Burden Rob Morrow as Reverend William Sloane Coffin, Jr. James Scully as Mitchell Halverson III Mark Jude Sullivan as Francis Dunleavy Matthew Wolf as Dr. Stanley Milgram Sound Effects Artist: Jeff Gardner. Script Supervisor, Nikki Hyde. Music Supervisor, Ronn Lipkin. Associate Artistic Director, Anna Lyse Erikson. Recording Engineer, Sound Designer and Editor, Erick Cifuentes. Mixed by Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood. Recorded at The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood.
©2019 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2019 L.A. Theatre Works