The Internet Collection of Americana Drolleries
This collection of the greatest audio recordings of american literary classics is presented by the American Listeners Theatre.
:: Previews: Audio Listening Room
The Premier Literary Collection of MP3s on the Internet featuring the works of Mark Twain, O. Henry, Ambrose Bierce, Charles Dickens, and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
• Americana Drolleries - Buy Now- MP3 Downloads
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"An Inhabitant of Carcosa"
Written by Ambrose Bierce - Adapted and Performed by Timothy Patrick Miller
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"Moxon's Master "
Written by Ambrose Bierce - Adapted and Performed by Timothy Patrick Miller
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"Buckshot Cheney's Last Trainride"
Written by Mark Twain - Adapted and Performed by Timothy Patrick Miller
The Droll and the Drollery have a time honored place in Anglo American Theatrical Legend and Lore.
When the Puritans of England siezed power in 1642 and lopped off the head of the nearest available King they next set about closing all the Theatres and doing their level best to destroy Merriment of every sort throughout the length and breadth of Merrie Olde England.
Actors and Bards and the Tellers of Tales being a creative and inventive lot quickly set about devising short easily presented humorous and satiric entertainments named Drolls or Drolleries so called after the "Droll Humours" spoken of in the quaint medical theories of the day. These entertainments could be easily performed at Coffee House or Hostelry, Manor House or indeed at any gathering Hungry for Entertainment...AND... Since the Puritans were a notoriously ill tempered and surly bunch ever seeking to stamp out any expression of the joy of living - both audience and player could quickly disperse in thge event of a raid becoming "innocent bystanders" unti the Fell Theodalators slunk back to their dolorous dark lair.
The same Actor tactics prooved most effective against our American Puritan opposition to Theatre, Dance Music and any expression of joy. merriment or fun in general. Once again The Droll and The Drolleries eluded and outwitted the culture killers. The Waggish Players actually presented a good bit of Shakespeare disguised as "Moral Dialogs". One of the most ingenious of these Drolleries was styled "A Lecture On Heads" which became immensely popular even among some of the less fanatical Puritans. The Droll as a Performance Piece was popular in great houses and small throughout the Colonial period and on into The Republic even as Puritan control lessened and a thriving American Theatre was established.
The Droll contributed to a growing dynamic literary and performance tradition that flourished with our growing country bypassing or perhaps transcending the Puritans and other self appointed mind police.
It is interesting that the word Droll itself has migrated or expanded in meaning over the years and has come to indicate:"Persons of Quick Wit and Good Company"...which, Dear Listener clearly includes both Thee and Me, or I miss my guess.
And So
AMERICAN LISTENERS THEATRE invites your Listening Attention to:
AMERICANA DROLLERIES an ongoing series of Entertaining Narration Performances each complete in itself and brought to conclusion in a timely fashion appropriate to a single Listening Event. Each adapted from the Treasure Trove of Americana Literature Legend and Folklore - the Tales and Stories of the American people and how we got that way - a truly astonishing adventure.
Listen to these amusements and you will discover our great Writers and Story Tellers were great Drolls as well. Enjoy their wit and insight as they explore the curious, the odd, the strange, the absurd, the felonious, the outrageousl, the scary and of course the funny.
Listen and Imagine. It Will Set You Free. Enjoy...
Best Wishes and Good Listening
Timothy Patrick Miller
Timothy Patrick Miller is the award winning Voice Actor/Narrator and Principle Performer selected by the American Listeners Theatre to bring these classics to life.
A winner of the Audio Publishers Associations AUDIE AWARD, Mr. Miller was recently selected for Audiofile Magazines EARPHONES AWARD for his three volume collection: TIMOTHY PATRICK MILLER with AMBROSE BIERCE "TELLING TALES OF CIVIL WARRIORS".
Mr. Miller's on-stage roles range the theatrical spectrum from "The King" in Saroyan's "Cave Dwellers", to Captain Jack Boyle, the title character in O'Casey's "Juno And The Paycock", Vladimir in "Waiting For Godot", Alfred Doolittle in Shaw's "Pygmalion", Dick Dudgeon in "The Devils Disciple", Big Daddy in Tennessee William's "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" and the nine characters of John Henry Faulk's Texas folk comedy "Pear Orchard Texas".
Mr. Miller provides classroom content for public and private schools via his role with national textbook publisher HOLT RINEHART WINSTON.
He was the voice of the Red Cross messages of hope after Hurricane Katrina and has voiced countless commercials and corporate industrials over the years. In the gaming world he is known as ADMIRAL DANE in the Nintendo "Metroid" series.
The mission of the American Listeners Theatre is to ensure that the wit and wisdom of the great literary classics is kept alive and available as an ongoing resource for educational and entertainment purposes.
Educational institutions and private individuals may use and download these materials in the classroom or home environment.
The audio recordings presented on this site are made available via a Creative Commons License and are the sole property of the American Listeners Theatre.
Artist Contact
Timothy Patrick Miller may be contacted for interviews and professional correspondence at: tpm@cdamericana.com