The complete recording may be purchased at Audible.com:

https://tinyurl.com/ycnzmb2n

The City of Dreadful Night

By James Thomson

Narrated by Denis Daly

First published in 1874, The City of Dreadful Night is an extended poetic meditation on melancholy, or what is generally termed today as depression. Thomson's "city" is the "citta dolente" of Dante, the domain of souls trapped in a round of ceaseless misery. However, the inhabitants of Thomson's world endure a torment more subtle and more devastating than the acute and picturesque tortures of Dante's Inferno - a complete loss of purpose and a relentless draining of energy, a desperate and ever wakeful ennui, in which the soul cries for a restful slumber that will never come.

James Thomson was raised in an orphanage, and after serving in the military, worked as a clerk in London. The City of Dreadful Night was written during the last decade of his life, during which he struggled with alcoholism, insomnia and depression.

In his biography of Thomson Henry Salt observed:

Thomson was unable to take any but a despondent view of the destiny of mankind. The sense of a Doom mysterious, incalculable, immitigable, broods

darkly over his genius almost from the first, and makes him perforce a necessitarian in his philosophical creed.

I find no hint throughout the Universe

Of good or ill, of blessing or of curse;

I find alone Necessity Supreme.

So he wrote in a notable section of the "The City of Dreadful Night" and the same doctrine of necessity dominates the greater part of his writings.

The Proposal

by Anton Chekhov

Translated by Julius West

Presented by The Online Stage

Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov has decided to propose to Natalya Stepanovna, the daughter of his neightbour, Chubukov. He promptly receives the father's blessing, but will he be able to gain the daughter's consent?

Cast

Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov, a landowner - Tovarisch

Natalya Stepanovna, his daughter - Grace Keller Scotch

Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov,a neighbour of Chubukov, a large and hearty, but very suspicious landowner - Denis Daly

Stage directions read by Leanne Yau

Music

Excerpts from String Quartet no. 12 by Antonin Dvorak

Performed by the MusOpen String Quartet

Audio edited by Denis Daly

This recording may be freely downloaded and distributed, as long as the Online Stage is credited as the author. It may not be used for commercial purposes or distributed in an edited or remixed form.

The Online Stage is a collective of actors and narrators who have come together to present high quality recordings of classic drama in audio format. For further information or to view our catalogue please visit onlinestage.org

A Long Time Ago

A play in one act

by Floyd Dell

Presented by The Online Stage

In Floyd Dell's ritualistic medieval drama, a bored queen explores the inexorable connection betwen love and war.

Cast

The Old Woman - Sarah Mitchell

The Fool - Alan Weyman

The Prince _ Denis Daly

The Queen - Sarah Mitchell

The Sailor - Denis Daly

Narrator - Joseph Tabler

Music

Excerpt from Concerto for Two violins by Christoph Graupner

Performed by Steve's Bedroom Band

Recording published by musopen.org.

Audio edited by Denis Daly

This recording may be freely downloaded and distributed, as long as the Online Stage is credited as the author. It may not be used for commercial purposes or distributed in an edited or remixed form.

The Online Stage is a collective of narrators and actors who have come together to create premium quality recordings of dramatic works in audio format. For more information about our productions please visit onlinestage.org

The complete recording can be purchased at Audible.com:

https://tinyurl.com/yba5dv72

The Seagull

by Anton Chekhov

Translated by George Calderon

Presented by The Online Stage

The Seagull is Anton Chekhov's first major play, originally produced in 1896. It dramatizes the romantic and artistic conflicts between four characters: the famous middlebrow story writer Boris Trigorin, the ingenue Nina, the fading actress Irina Arcadina, and her son the symbolist playwright Constantine Treplef.

Cast:

Mme. Arcadina, an actress: Elizabeth Klett

Constantine Treplef, her son: Andy Harrington

Sorin, her brother: Ron Altman

Nina, daughter of a rich landowner: Amanda Friday

Shamrayef, manager of Sorin's estate: Denis Daly

Pauline, his wife: Linda Barrans

Masha, their daughter: Leanne Yau

Trigorin, a writer: David Prickett

Dorn, a doctor: Tovarisch

Medvedenko, a schoolmaster: Jeff Moon

Yakof: Noel Badrian

Cook: Maureen Boutillier

Narrator: Ted Wenskus

Audio edited by Elizabeth Klett

Production copyright 2017 The Online Stage

The complete recording can be purchased at Audible.com:

https://tinyurl.com/yawv73vt

Abraham Lincoln

A play by John Drinkwater

Presented by The Online Stage.

In survey after survey, Abraham Lincoln is universally ranked as the greatest of America’s presidents, setting standards for honesty, courage, compassion and ethical responsibility. John Drinkwater’s play was the British poet’s first theatrical success, opening in England in 1918 to surprising acclaim and making its way to Broadway in 1919, to even stronger public enthusiasm. It was produced on radio by Orson Wells on August 15, 1938, on his program, The Mercury Theater on the Air. In 1924, a two-reel film version of the play was distributed nationwide, one of the very first sound films, and on May 26, 1952, the play was presented on television on the anthology series Studio One, with film icon James Dean in a very noticeable supporting role.

After a brief poetic prologue, the play depicts six scenes from Lincoln’s life that illustrate key aspects of his remarkable character:

• His acceptance of the Republican nomination for President;

• The outbreak of hostilities at Fort Sumter;

• Discussions with three very different individuals about the conduct of the war;

• The emancipation proclamation;

• The surrender at Appomattox;

• The assassination at Ford’s Theater.

Featuring Ben Stevens as Abraham Lincoln.

Additional voices provided by Andrew Coleman, Linda Barrans, Larry Wilson, Ron Altman, Libby Stevenson, Jennifer Fournier, Peter Tucker, Andy Harrington, Joseph Tabler, Marty Kris, Jeff Moon, Russell Gold, Ted Wenskus,Richard Andrews, Nancy German, Lee Ann Howlett and John Burlinson.

Audio edited by John Burlinson.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

by William Shakespeare

Presented by the Online Stage

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, an unlikely tale of betrayal and forgiveness, is considered one of Shakespeare’s least successful plays. Valentine plans to leave his home town of Verona to travel to Milan and asks his best friend Proteus to accompany him. The latter refuses, saying that he is not willing to leave his lover , Julia, behind. However, Proteus is later forced by his father to travel to Milan, and he parts from Julia after swearing his eternal love to her. In Milan Proteus discovers that Valentine has fallen in love with the elusive Sylvia, whose father, the Duke, wishes her to marry the rich and foolish Thurio. Falling in love with Sylvia himself, roteus betrays Valentine to the Duke who promptly banishes Valentine. Sylvia flees Milan in search of Valentine who has joined a band of outlaws living in the forest. Meanwhile Julia, in disguise, travels to Milan to join Proteus. Eventually the four lovers meet in the forest, Valentine forgives Proteus and the couples are united with the blessing of the Duke.

This play is built around the rites of passage that Shakespeare later employed in more significant works such as As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Tempest. In each the following elements are present:

• Young love frustrated by the opposition of parents or guardians

• Flight to a rustic retreat

• Misunderstanding or disagreement among the lovers

• Resolution: reconciliation among the lovers and blessing obtained from the parental figure

• Homecoming

A similar structure is also apparent in The Winter’s Tale, although in this case the love relationships are familiar rather than romantic.

In this play, the comic relief is provided by Proteus’ servant, Launce, and the cowardly Sir Thurio.

Cast

Valentine - Garrison Moore

Speed - Ben Lindsey-Clark

Proteus - Peter Tucker

Julia - Arielle Lipshaw

Sylvia - Amanda Friday

Duke - Denis Daly

Thurio - David Prickett

Lucetta and Servant - P J Morgan

Lance and Second Outlaw - Marty Krzywonos

Antonio, Eglamour and First Outlaw - Alan Weyman

Pantino, Third Outlaw and Host - Ron Altman

Narrator - Brett Downey

Audio edited by Denis Daly.

The script used in this recording was kindly provided by Folger Digital Texts.

This recording may be freely downloaded and distributed, as long as the Online Stage is credited as the author. It may not be used for commercial purposes or distributed in an edited or remixed form.

The Online Stage is collective of narrators and actors who have come together to present productions of classic dramatic works in audio format. For further information about The Online Stage or to explore our catalogue please visit:

http://www.onlinestage.org/

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

by William Shakespeare

Presented by the Online Stage

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, an unlikely tale of betrayal and forgiveness, is considered one of Shakespeare’s least successful plays. Valentine plans to leave his home town of Verona to travel to Milan and asks his best friend Proteus to accompany him. The latter refuses, saying that he is not willing to leave his lover , Julia, behind. However, Proteus is later forced by his father to travel to Milan, and he parts from Julia after swearing his eternal love to her. In Milan Proteus discovers that Valentine has fallen in love with the elusive Sylvia, whose father, the Duke, wishes her to marry the rich and foolish Thurio. Falling in love with Sylvia himself, roteus betrays Valentine to the Duke who promptly banishes Valentine. Sylvia flees Milan in search of Valentine who has joined a band of outlaws living in the forest. Meanwhile Julia, in disguise, travels to Milan to join Proteus. Eventually the four lovers meet in the forest, Valentine forgives Proteus and the couples are united with the blessing of the Duke.

This play is built around the rites of passage that Shakespeare later employed in more significant works such as As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Tempest. In each the following elements are present:

• Young love frustrated by the opposition of parents or guardians

• Flight to a rustic retreat

• Misunderstanding or disagreement among the lovers

• Resolution: reconciliation among the lovers and blessing obtained from the parental figure

• Homecoming

A similar structure is also apparent in The Winter’s Tale, although in this case the love relationships are familiar rather than romantic.

In this play, the comic relief is provided by Proteus’ servant, Launce, and the cowardly Sir Thurio.

Cast

Valentine - Garrison Moore

Speed - Ben Lindsey-Clark

Proteus - Peter Tucker

Julia - Arielle Lipshaw

Sylvia - Amanda Friday

Duke - Denis Daly

Thurio - David Prickett

Lucetta and Servant - P J Morgan

Lance and Second Outlaw - Marty Krzywonos

Antonio, Eglamour and First Outlaw - Alan Weyman

Pantino, Third Outlaw and Host - Ron Altman

Narrator - Brett Downey

Audio edited by Denis Daly.

The script used in this recording was kindly provided by Folger Digital Texts.

This recording may be freely downloaded and distributed, as long as the Online Stage is credited as the author. It may not be used for commercial purposes or distributed in an edited or remixed form.

The Online Stage is collective of narrators and actors who have come together to present productions of classic dramatic works in audio format. For further information about The Online Stage or to explore our catalogue please visit:

http://www.onlinestage.org/

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

by William Shakespeare

Presented by the Online Stage

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, an unlikely tale of betrayal and forgiveness, is considered one of Shakespeare’s least successful plays. Valentine plans to leave his home town of Verona to travel to Milan and asks his best friend Proteus to accompany him. The latter refuses, saying that he is not willing to leave his lover , Julia, behind. However, Proteus is later forced by his father to travel to Milan, and he parts from Julia after swearing his eternal love to her. In Milan Proteus discovers that Valentine has fallen in love with the elusive Sylvia, whose father, the Duke, wishes her to marry the rich and foolish Thurio. Falling in love with Sylvia himself, roteus betrays Valentine to the Duke who promptly banishes Valentine. Sylvia flees Milan in search of Valentine who has joined a band of outlaws living in the forest. Meanwhile Julia, in disguise, travels to Milan to join Proteus. Eventually the four lovers meet in the forest, Valentine forgives Proteus and the couples are united with the blessing of the Duke.

This play is built around the rites of passage that Shakespeare later employed in more significant works such as As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Tempest. In each the following elements are present:

• Young love frustrated by the opposition of parents or guardians

• Flight to a rustic retreat

• Misunderstanding or disagreement among the lovers

• Resolution: reconciliation among the lovers and blessing obtained from the parental figure

• Homecoming

A similar structure is also apparent in The Winter’s Tale, although in this case the love relationships are familiar rather than romantic.

In this play, the comic relief is provided by Proteus’ servant, Launce, and the cowardly Sir Thurio.

Cast

Valentine - Garrison Moore

Speed - Ben Lindsey-Clark

Proteus - Peter Tucker

Julia - Arielle Lipshaw

Sylvia - Amanda Friday

Duke - Denis Daly

Thurio - David Prickett

Lucetta and Servant - P J Morgan

Lance and Second Outlaw - Marty Krzywonos

Antonio, Eglamour and First Outlaw - Alan Weyman

Pantino, Third Outlaw and Host - Ron Altman

Narrator - Brett Downey

Audio edited by Denis Daly.

The script used in this recording was kindly provided by Folger Digital Texts.

This recording may be freely downloaded and distributed, as long as the Online Stage is credited as the author. It may not be used for commercial purposes or distributed in an edited or remixed form.

The Online Stage is collective of narrators and actors who have come together to present productions of classic dramatic works in audio format. For further information about The Online Stage or to explore our catalogue please visit:

http://www.onlinestage.org/

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

by William Shakespeare

Presented by the Online Stage

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, an unlikely tale of betrayal and forgiveness, is considered one of Shakespeare’s least successful plays. Valentine plans to leave his home town of Verona to travel to Milan and asks his best friend Proteus to accompany him. The latter refuses, saying that he is not willing to leave his lover , Julia, behind. However, Proteus is later forced by his father to travel to Milan, and he parts from Julia after swearing his eternal love to her. In Milan Proteus discovers that Valentine has fallen in love with the elusive Sylvia, whose father, the Duke, wishes her to marry the rich and foolish Thurio. Falling in love with Sylvia himself, roteus betrays Valentine to the Duke who promptly banishes Valentine. Sylvia flees Milan in search of Valentine who has joined a band of outlaws living in the forest. Meanwhile Julia, in disguise, travels to Milan to join Proteus. Eventually the four lovers meet in the forest, Valentine forgives Proteus and the couples are united with the blessing of the Duke.

This play is built around the rites of passage that Shakespeare later employed in more significant works such as As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Tempest. In each the following elements are present:

• Young love frustrated by the opposition of parents or guardians

• Flight to a rustic retreat

• Misunderstanding or disagreement among the lovers

• Resolution: reconciliation among the lovers and blessing obtained from the parental figure

• Homecoming

A similar structure is also apparent in The Winter’s Tale, although in this case the love relationships are familiar rather than romantic.

In this play, the comic relief is provided by Proteus’ servant, Launce, and the cowardly Sir Thurio.

Cast

Valentine - Garrison Moore

Speed - Ben Lindsey-Clark

Proteus - Peter Tucker

Julia - Arielle Lipshaw

Sylvia - Amanda Friday

Duke - Denis Daly

Thurio - David Prickett

Lucetta and Servant - P J Morgan

Lance and Second Outlaw - Marty Krzywonos

Antonio, Eglamour and First Outlaw - Alan Weyman

Pantino, Third Outlaw and Host - Ron Altman

Narrator - Brett Downey

Audio edited by Denis Daly.

The script used in this recording was kindly provided by Folger Digital Texts.

This recording may be freely downloaded and distributed, as long as the Online Stage is credited as the author. It may not be used for commercial purposes or distributed in an edited or remixed form.

The Online Stage is collective of narrators and actors who have come together to present productions of classic dramatic works in audio format. For further information about The Online Stage or to explore our catalogue please visit:

http://www.onlinestage.org/

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

by William Shakespeare

Presented by the Online Stage

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, an unlikely tale of betrayal and forgiveness, is considered one of Shakespeare’s least successful plays. Valentine plans to leave his home town of Verona to travel to Milan and asks his best friend Proteus to accompany him. The latter refuses, saying that he is not willing to leave his lover , Julia, behind. However, Proteus is later forced by his father to travel to Milan, and he parts from Julia after swearing his eternal love to her. In Milan Proteus discovers that Valentine has fallen in love with the elusive Sylvia, whose father, the Duke, wishes her to marry the rich and foolish Thurio. Falling in love with Sylvia himself, roteus betrays Valentine to the Duke who promptly banishes Valentine. Sylvia flees Milan in search of Valentine who has joined a band of outlaws living in the forest. Meanwhile Julia, in disguise, travels to Milan to join Proteus. Eventually the four lovers meet in the forest, Valentine forgives Proteus and the couples are united with the blessing of the Duke.

This play is built around the rites of passage that Shakespeare later employed in more significant works such as As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Tempest. In each the following elements are present:

• Young love frustrated by the opposition of parents or guardians

• Flight to a rustic retreat

• Misunderstanding or disagreement among the lovers

• Resolution: reconciliation among the lovers and blessing obtained from the parental figure

• Homecoming

A similar structure is also apparent in The Winter’s Tale, although in this case the love relationships are familiar rather than romantic.

In this play, the comic relief is provided by Proteus’ servant, Launce, and the cowardly Sir Thurio.

Cast

Valentine - Garrison Moore

Speed - Ben Lindsey-Clark

Proteus - Peter Tucker

Julia - Arielle Lipshaw

Sylvia - Amanda Friday

Duke - Denis Daly

Thurio - David Prickett

Lucetta and Servant - P J Morgan

Lance and Second Outlaw - Marty Krzywonos

Antonio, Eglamour and First Outlaw - Alan Weyman

Pantino, Third Outlaw and Host - Ron Altman

Narrator - Brett Downey

Audio edited by Denis Daly.

The script used in this recording was kindly provided by Folger Digital Texts.

This recording may be freely downloaded and distributed, as long as the Online Stage is credited as the author. It may not be used for commercial purposes or distributed in an edited or remixed form.

The Online Stage is collective of narrators and actors who have come together to present productions of classic dramatic works in audio format. For further information about The Online Stage or to explore our catalogue please visit:

http://www.onlinestage.org/