This book contains eight recent plays, one-act as well as full length, and all from Manhattan. Some were in major New York theatre festivals and thus selected from international competition; others were fully produced by private theatre companies in the city. Several of the theatres were in or adjacent to Times Square. Production was especially gratifying when locations such as The Theatre at St. Clements, one of the first major off-Broadway venues utilized by the truly greats, were available. One of the shorter plays, Thy Neighbor , appeared almost simultaneously at two different Manhattan theatres. In all productions the actors were a delightful and effective mix of both aspiring professionals and seasoned members of Equity. Photographs as well as programs of performances are included in this volume. The plays themselves are poignant and funny-stories of all different kinds of people. Although of varied ethnicities and lifestyles, in the end they prove often to be very much the same, predictably human. The plays in this book are meant to be both preserved and shared. They are yours for the reading and producing. To Buttzville and Beyond, "It's a delightful play." Van Dirk Fisher, founder and Artistic Director, The Riant Theatre, (Strawberry Festival Theatre and Strawberry Theatre Festival), New York To Buttzville and Beyond, ..".the writing is very good... this situation was wonderfully drawn..." Nichole Donje, actor, director, producer, New York. Founder of The Artists' Playground Theatre, New York Visiting Hours is " ...a superb play. I was really touched by the story....very beautifully written." Kelly Karavites, actor, New York (AEA, SAG-AFTRA) "These plays are sensitive, insightful, and thoroughly entertaining " Stanley Hart, writer for The Carol Burnett Show and winner of multiple Emmy Awards.

"Baroque Naples" presents documents on the history, culture, and art of the city during its golden age of prestige and prosperity under the Spanish Hapsburgs and Bourbons. Texts cover the history of the city and kingdom, contemporary travel guides, descriptions of the city's art, architecture and classical inheritance, its literature, music and theater. There are also chapters that offer texts by the famed Neapolitan economists, legal thinkers and philosophers of the age; a survey of religious thought, and of the Neapolitan contribution to the natural sciences. The selections are preceded by brief introductions to the writers and the ideas presented in the texts. Sixty-nine selections include Enrico Bacco, John Evelyn, Salvator Rosa, Luigi Vanvitelli, the Neapolitan Marinisti, Pietro Trapassi (Metastasio), Giovanni Battista Della Porta, Antonio Serra, Giuseppe Palmieri, Gaetano Filangieri, Tommaso Campanella, Giambattista Vico, Fynes Moryson and many others. The volume also includes brief biographies and chronologies. 60 illustrations, 3 maps, introduction, bibliography, index.