Comedy and Tragedy on the Mountain - 70 Years of Summer Theatre - Mt. Tom, Holyoke, Mass.

This is to announce the publication of my latest book:

Comedy and Tragedy on the Mountain:

70 years of Summer Theatre on Mt. Tom, Holyoke, Massachusetts

It is non-fiction, about a once vibrant summer theatre playhouse in the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts, how it reflected its eras and its location - in an amusement park, on a mountain, on the edge of a New England factory town.  It was unique, and its story is fascinating.

I'll be giving a talk on the book at the Holyoke (Massachusetts) Public Library, Monday, January 23^rd at 6 p.m.  Springfield Republican columnist Barbara Bernard, who wrote the foreword for the book and was interviewed for the project, will introduce the event and will take part in the discussion.

The book covers the history of live theatre on Mt. Tom from 1895 to 1965.  For some seventy years live theatre created magic on the mountain above the city, from vaudeville, operetta, WPA-sponsored shows in the Great Depression, and its heyday from 1941 to 1962 with a resident repertory company called The Valley Players.  In the early 1960s, two new incarnations: The Casino-in-the-Park, and finally, the Mt. Tom Playhouse with touring packaged shows featuring well-known stars from television and movies.  Many stars of stage and screen, and many newcomers who would one day become stars, performed over several decades on Mt. Tom.  Through interviews, newspaper reviews, and nearly 250 photographs, relive their performances, and go backstage for personal experiences that were both comic and tragic, and enjoy again the excitement of opening night.

The book is currently available in paperback from the printer, CreateSpace here, and from Amazon in paperback and eBook.  You can also contact me by email or my website to obtain a paperback copy.