The Playwrights' Theatre of East Hampton at LTV Studios will present a staged concert reading of “The Lisping of a Muse” on Sunday, June 9 at 4PM. The show will be performed by Hugh King and his band of local, community players who will present readings from John Howard Payne’s most important works including two theatrical pieces, Brutus or the Fall of Tarquin - a historical tragedy that held the stage for over 50 years; and Clari, the Maid of Milan which introduced the famous song Home, Sweet Home. The program will also feature poems written by Payne in his younger years; theatrical critiques from Payne’s newspaper The Thespian Mirror - the first newspaper in New York City devoted entirely to the theater; love letters between Payne and Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein; Payne’s recollections of his time with the Cherokee Nation; and personal letters from Payne to his sister and various citizens of East Hampton. June 9, 2024 marks the 233rd birthday of John Howard Payne, whose legend began in the 19th century when he was born in a house in East Hampton, where his father was a teacher. While this legend might not be entirely true, there is a building in East Hampton Village, called Home Sweet Home, dedicated to this important artist’s legacy. Tickets cost $15 in advance, $20 at the door, $5 for students and can be purchased by visiting www.ltveh.org.
