Books in Theatre Collection series

In this new offering from “the king of Christmas fiction” (The New York Times), #1 bestselling author Richard Paul Evans shares a story of heart, loyalty, and hope as he explores the deeper meaning of the holiday season and asks what it truly means to love and forgive. The year is 1975. Elle Sheen—a single mother who is supporting herself and her six-year-old, African-American son, Dylan, as a waitress at the Noel Street Diner—isn’t sure what to make of William Smith when his appearance creates a stir in the small town of Mistletoe, Utah. As their lives unexpectedly entwine, Elle learns that William, a recently returned Vietnam POW, is not only fighting demons from his past, but may also have the answer to her own secret pain—a revelation that culminates in a remarkable act of love and forgiveness.

New York Times Bestseller In this holiday-themed novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Mistletoe Promise and The Walk, a man receives the best Christmas present he could ask for: the chance to rewrite the past.Bestselling romance author Jacob Churcher hasn't been home for almost twenty years—not since his mentally ill mother kicked him out of the house when he was just sixteen. When a lawyer calls, days before Christmas, to inform him that his estranged mother has passed away and left her house to him, Jacob returns not just to settle the estate but to try and reconcile with the past and the pain and abuse he experienced as a child. Also, maybe cleaning out her house will be slightly less depressing than spending the holidays alone, watching re-runs of Christmas classics. But as it turns out, the house holds more than just difficult memories, Jacob’s mother had become a hoarder and he must excavate through two decades worth of clutter. As Jacob digs through the detritus, like an archaeologist, he uncovers many puzzling items including a diary left by someone named Noel, a young woman he has no recollection of, who stayed with Jacob’s family during her pregnancy. That’s not the only echo from the past. Jacob has an unexpected visitor, Rachel, a woman looking for the mother who put her up for adoption thirty years before. United by their quest to make sense of the past and rewrite their futures, Jacob and Rachel begin a search for Noel. Along the way they find more than they possibly imagined, including grace, forgiveness and a chance at love.

“Your job is to make a picture of you. We all are a mixture, of red, yellow, and blue.” Gerome’s Rainbow is a story about acceptance. Gerome and his classmates argue over what colors are better without realizing they are hurting each other’s feelings. It saddens Gerome that he and his friends are fighting, until he comes up with a great idea. Baxter’s Corner – Building Character is Child’s Play® Parents and educators agree that exposing children to learning values at an early age leads to healthy emotional and spiritual children. Baxter’s Corner has a unique series of books designed to enhance conversations between adults and preschool through primary-aged children. Each book has a magical section that allows caregivers to go beyond and tackle hard subjects like bulling, manners, being different than others, single-parent families, respecting authority, and working with others. Matching puppets, stretched canvas wall art, and removable wall decals bring the stories to life and deepen each child’s understanding of respect, determination, resilience, compassion, cooperation, and acceptance. “They write and illustrate the most wonderful children’s books designed to help both caregivers and children navigate life’s struggles in a healthy way. The books also include supplemental activities to help caregivers engage children in conversations about what they’ve learned and how they can apply the main message/theme to their lives.” Benjamin Gies, Policy and Advocacy Director, Kentucky Youth Advocates

In this new offering from “the king of Christmas fiction” (The New York Times), #1 bestselling author Richard Paul Evans shares a story of heart, loyalty, and hope as he explores the deeper meaning of the holiday season and asks what it truly means to love and forgive. The year is 1975. Elle Sheen—a single mother who is supporting herself and her six-year-old, African-American son, Dylan, as a waitress at the Noel Street Diner—isn’t sure what to make of William Smith when his appearance creates a stir in the small town of Mistletoe, Utah. As their lives unexpectedly entwine, Elle learns that William, a recently returned Vietnam POW, is not only fighting demons from his past, but may also have the answer to her own secret pain—a revelation that culminates in a remarkable act of love and forgiveness.

Based on the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning novel by Ernest J. Gaines, A Lesson Before Dying is set in a small Louisiana Cajun community in the late 1940s. Jefferson, a young illiterate black man, is falsely convicted of murder and is sentenced to death. Grant Wiggins, the plantation schoolteacher, agrees to talk with the condemned man. The disheartened Wiggins had once harbored dreams of escaping from his impoverished youth, yet he returned to his home town after university, to teach children whose lives seemed as unpromising as Jefferson s. The two men forge a bond as they come to understand what it means to resist and defy one s own fate. A L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: Rick Foucheux, Beatrice Winde, Keith Glover, Jerry Whiddon, Jamahl Marsh, Linda Powell and Jefferson A. Russell.

New York Times Bestseller In this holiday-themed novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Mistletoe Promise and The Walk, a man receives the best Christmas present he could ask for: the chance to rewrite the past.Bestselling romance author Jacob Churcher hasn't been home for almost twenty years—not since his mentally ill mother kicked him out of the house when he was just sixteen. When a lawyer calls, days before Christmas, to inform him that his estranged mother has passed away and left her house to him, Jacob returns not just to settle the estate but to try and reconcile with the past and the pain and abuse he experienced as a child. Also, maybe cleaning out her house will be slightly less depressing than spending the holidays alone, watching re-runs of Christmas classics. But as it turns out, the house holds more than just difficult memories, Jacob’s mother had become a hoarder and he must excavate through two decades worth of clutter. As Jacob digs through the detritus, like an archaeologist, he uncovers many puzzling items including a diary left by someone named Noel, a young woman he has no recollection of, who stayed with Jacob’s family during her pregnancy. That’s not the only echo from the past. Jacob has an unexpected visitor, Rachel, a woman looking for the mother who put her up for adoption thirty years before. United by their quest to make sense of the past and rewrite their futures, Jacob and Rachel begin a search for Noel. Along the way they find more than they possibly imagined, including grace, forgiveness and a chance at love.

Set in Yonkers, New York in 1942, two boys, aged 13 and 16, must spend one year with their austere and demanding grandmother. While the war rages in Europe, Jay and Arty learn the ropes from Uncle Louie and assorted relatives, all peculiar characters. This classic Neil Simon play was a Pulitzer Prize Winner for Drama, Tony Award Winner for Best Play and Drama Desk Award Winner for Outstanding Play. A L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: Barbara Bain, Gia Carides, Dan Castellaneta, Ben Diskin, Arye Gross, Roxanne Hart and Kenneth Schmidt.

Outspoken tomboy Frankie befriends the family s maid in one of the most beautiful plays ever written about loneliness and love. Tall, awkward, and lonely, Frankie Addams has a vivid imagination but no friends. Even her father calls her a great big long-legged 12-year-old blunderbuss, and the friendless girl spends most of her time in the kitchen, pouring out her heart to Berenice, the gentle and wise family cook and housekeeper. Frankie< >s jealousy of her brother< >s impending marriage, and her curious belief that she must accompany him and his bride on their honeymoon in order to belong, drives her to strange measures. She devises a desperate plan, reinventing herself as the seemingly sophisticated F. Jasmine, a gawky beauty in a pink dress who looks closer to 16 than 12. But she's ill prepared for what follows from this troubling game of make-believe. Carson McCullers captures the universal in the particular in this sensitive, nuanced portrayal of one girl's struggle into adulthood. A L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: June Angela, John Cothran Jr., Ruby Dee, Daniel Henson, Victor Mack, Jena Malone, Lawrence Pressman, Jacquelyn Riggs and Tegan West.

John Lithgow and B.D. Wong recreate their original roles from the Tony Award-winning production. Inspired by an actual espionage scandal, a French diplomat discovers the startling truth about his Chinese mistress. A L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: John Lithgow, B.D. Wong, Margaret Cho, David Dukes, Joanna Frank, Arye Gross and Kathryn Layng.

“He no longer stuck out, his height no longer laughable. But with his head hanging low, he felt most ungiraffeable.”Gerome does not like the attention he draws due to his height. He finds a way to keep a low profile but knows he isn’t being genuine. He is finally able to fully embrace his height, and its advantages, when his concern for another becomes greater than his concern for himself.Through storytelling, Baxter’s CornerTM pursues its mission to inspire young children to develop positive social skills that affect behavior choices. Each book features fun filled pages that Go Beyond the reading with a series of questions and learning activities that focus on an important point for your young listener or reader, including: “What do you think” questions Fun facts about the featured animals Social skill activities “Stop and think” situations that show the effects of choices we make “Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is definitely character building reading for young readers, teaching respect for others and a positive awareness of community. “ James A. Cox, Editor, Midwest Book Review Children’s Bookwatch, The Social Issues Shelf “Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is an engaging and stimulating book for young children. Lessons about friendship and standing up for what’s right are the dominant themes in this sweet story.”Kristina Davis Christensen, M.Ed. Head of School Friends School, Louisville, KY “Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is fun and short and also deals with a serious topic that many children might face. ... I find that this short story fits well into every kids book collection and it’s a great way to talk to your children about friendship, bullying, self-esteem and so on.” Erika Winterlia, Winterlia Reviews Follinge Jamtland, Sweden

"He no longer stuck out, his height no longer laughable. But with his head hanging low, he felt most ungiraffeable." Gerome does not like the attention he draws due to his height. He finds a way to keep a low profile but knows he isn't being genuine. He is finally able to fully embrace his height, and its advantages, when his concern for another becomes greater than his concern for himself. Through storytelling, Baxter's Corner(R) pursues its mission to inspire young children to develop positive social skills that affect behavior choices. Each book features fun filled pages that Go Beyond the reading with a series of questions and learning activities that focus on an important point for your young listener or reader, including: "What do you think" questions Fun facts about the featured animals Social skill activities "Stop and think" situations that show the effects of choices we make "Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is definitely character building reading for young readers, teaching respect for others and a positive awareness of community. " James A. Cox, Editor, Midwest Book Review Children's Bookwatch, The Social Issues Shelf "Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is an engaging and stimulating book for young children. Lessons about friendship and standing up for what's right are the dominant themes in this sweet story." Kristina Davis Christensen, M.Ed. Head of School Friends School, Louisville, KY "Gerome Sticks His Neck Out is fun and short and also deals with a serious topic that many children might face. ... I find that this short story fits well into every kids book collection and it's a great way to talk to your children about friendship, bullying, self-esteem and so on." Erika Winterlia, Winterlia Reviews Follinge Jamtland, Sweden "This is one of the best company to buy books from. The kids enjoyed the story and the theme is character development" Amazon January 2018

Infamously known as the cursed Scottish play, Macbeth is perhaps the darkest Shakespeare tragedy. When General Macbeth is foretold by three witches that he will one day be King of Scotland, Lady Macbeth convinces him to get rid of anyone who could stand in his way - including committing regicide. As Macbeth ascends to the throne through bloody murder, he becomes a tyrant consumed by fear and paranoia. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: James Marsters as Macbeth; Joanne Whalley as Lady Macbeth; Josh Cooke as Banquo and others; JD Cullum as Macduff and Second Murderer; Dan Donohue as Ross; Jeannie Elias as Second Witch and others; Chuma Gault as Lennox and Servant; Jon Matthews as Malcolm; Alan Shearman as Angus and others; André Sogliuzzo as Donalbain, Third Witch and others; Kate Steele as Lady Macduff, First Witch and Apparition; Kris Tabori as Duncan and others. Directed by Martin Jarvis. Sound effects by Tony Palermo. Recorded at the Invisible Studios, West Hollywood in May, 2011.