They knew they were close to exposing the murderer, but someone was holding all the jokers.

In June of 1956, Lily and her sister-in-law Syd are looking forward to another blissful summer with their families at the Bungalow Colony in the Catskill Mountains. But their hopes for a tranquil vacation are shattered when Lily accidentally stumbles on secret information, and a dead body is discovered in an abandoned bathtub. As the body count rises, Lily, Syd, and their Mahjongg partners Ruthie and Mary, uncover a sinister web of blackmail and intrigue with roots in the lingering dark shadows of World War II.

Careful not to expose the secret, or further endanger the innocent blackmail victims, the “Mahjongg Ladies” sift through a surprising number of people who could be guilty. All the while they continue doing their daily chores, attending the children’s day camp events, creating the Saturday night extravaganzas, and most especially not missing even one of their daily Mahjongg games.

Drawing on the ten summers she and her family spent at a bungalow colony in the Catskill Mountains, Ms. Bernfield has crafted a charming memoir/mystery. In 1950s America, Jewish families were still excluded from many summer resorts; to avoid the heat they escaped in droves to a vibrant community in the beautiful Catskill Mountains. In towns like Monticello and Ellenville, alongside flashy hotels like The Concord, Grossinger’s, and Kutcher’s, dozens of cozy Kuchalayn (Bungalow colonies) had sprung up to welcome them. It is in one of these that the shocking events in Mahjongg and Murder take place.

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Hosted by psychotherapist and author Lynne Bernfield, The Lynne Show is about discovering aspects of ourselves which we have had to deny. In it she talks about why this happens and what we can do to recover these denied parts. In her interview series called Anatomy of an Artist she interviews people who make their living or their life with their art.

The Lynne Show is an eclectic mix of information, music, interviews and stories. It airs on the Radioearnetwork.com Tuesdays at 2:00 P.M. Eastern Time and again on Monday at 3:00 A.M. Eastern Time.

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3-31-2024 Celine Rosenthal was captured by theatre very young and predictably studied acting. Although she loved everything about acting; script analysis, the rehearsal process etc., she really didn’t like being on stage. In tandem with her acting studies, she was also a pre-med student. After graduation, she spent a year in Mumbai India creating a children’s theater, and then several years as a New York City Medic city. Having found her way back to the theatre she captured two Tony nominations for her work on the Broadway productions of Leap of Faith and Seminar. Finally deciding that what she wanted was to be a director, she got her Directing degree from the New School of Drama in New York. Celine began her career at the Asolo on a directing fellowship and within a year was hired as Asolo’s Assistant Director. Currently she is directing the Asolo mail stage production of Dial M For Murder.  Listen to this talented, unusual, charming woman describe her series of accidents that lead to her finding her true path

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2/8/2023 Actor, writer, director, producer Gus Kaikkonen is a theater professional, but he didn’t intend to be. His mother suggested he audition for a children’s theatre. They “needed boy’s,” Gus jokes, and his fate is sealed. Although he intentionally chose a college without a drama department, he auditions for a play and not only gets the role, but a producer who sees it, invites him to join their company. Fate, it seems decided that Gus would give his life to the theater and who is he to argue. Most recently He directed “Fully Committed” for Sarasota Jewish theatre

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http://thelynneshow.com/Audio/Podcasts/2%20interviews%20with%20Leon%20Pitts.mp3

1/29/2024 Leon Pitts was nine years old when he met his mentor, his “rabbi,” Nate Jacobs. Nate was a teacher at Leon’s school and although, neither knew it at the time, one day Nate would be the founder of The West Coast Black Theater Troupe and Leon would be one of its founding members. Today, decades later, Leon is a seasoned performer, he has sung, danced and acted in dozens of productions; and gotten his actors equity card. Listen to my two interviews with Leon, in which he describes the magical way he was convinced to turn his back on the career everyone thought he should pursue, and follow Nate into the “fire’ where he discovered his passion, his commitment and the life he was meant to live. And don’t miss the result of that courageous leap in Leon’s stand out performance in   “A Soldier’s Play,” the current production at the West coast Black Theater Troupe.

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1/26/2024 I did this interview with Bill in June 2008, when he was in Sarasota staring in the Golden Apple production of Chicago. His career is well known, there isn’t anything a performer can do that Bill Hayes didn’t do brilliantly. This is particularly amazing when you know that he had no intention of being a performer. He assumed, that as his father, a businessman performed in plays for fun – so would he.  Listen to the remarkable story of how serendipitously, the world got an opportunity to benefit from the very talented Bill Hayes. In this interview you can also hear the character of the man, his commitment to his family – first and foremost, his dedication to his work, his kindness, and dare I say, his old-fashion goodness.

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Anatomy of an Artist

Can be heard and downloaded http://www.thelynneshow.com/Audio/Podcasts/Shpw_653_12_15_2023_Doug_Shapiro_Fully_Committed.mp3

12-15-2023    Interview with charming Actor Doug Shapiro as he prepares to star in the one-person production of “Fully Committed” for Sarasota Jewish Theatre on January 31^st – at the Players Theatre. In this interview Doug describes the ironic way he was led to make many of the most important decisions in his life – such as, just as he was about to fill out a college application for the backup career his parents had suggested, choosing instead to fill out the one for Musical Theatre.  Also listen to how he got the role in “Fully Committed” and the interesting discussions he’s had with the director who’d directed another actor in this role many times.

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June 15, 2023, As a boy Michael Donald Edwards attended Catholic schools where he was steeped in theology and philosophy and considered becoming a priest or a teacher. He didn’t see a play until college, where he discovered what he was really meant to do with his life. But having given up religion for theater he none-the-less maintained his passion for philosophy and the life of the spirit. Listen to this articulate, passionate, sometimes outrageous man talk about how those influences informed his choice of, and work on, the production of Galileo, and get a taste of why we will miss him.

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 June 9, 2023, Musician/Composer/Artist Michael Royal performed in London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Athens, Lisbon, Copenhagen, Tokyo, Bangkok, New York, Los Angeles and throughout the U.S. He worked with Red Rodney, Mel Lewis, Clifford Jordan, George Garzone, Larry Coryell, Emily Remler, Ira Sullivan, and Mark Murphy in addition to his own groups. Michael began improvising at the piano at the age of five. Early on, he turned away from the conventional study of music and, by uniting classical and jazz influences, developed his own unique piano style. His repertoire includes a unique blend of romantic jazz standards from the Great American Songbook, Bebop, Ballads, Blues, and Classical Masterpieces. While still performing, composing, teaching, coaching, and lecturing Michael continued to pursue his independent studies. In the first half of my interview Michael describes his early life and the way he discovered his unique path and I play two cuts from his CD – TRANSITION with Richard Drexler on bass and Steve Davis on drums. The second half of our interview picks up when Michael returned to Sarasota and describes the way his continuing pursuit of all things artistic it also includes two more cuts from his CD.

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The Lynne Show Pod cast can be heard and downloaded at

3-15-23 Chris Eisenberg discovered he could have an impact on an audience when he “played tricks with a basketball” at a kindergarten talent show. It turned out that he was right. Follow the surprisingly quick trajectory of his career beginning with his first role with the West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, where he played little Michael Jackson at age 9. Listen to his philosophy, one that is perhaps unusual for a young man and come see Frank and me, “a night of crooning, dancing, stories & laughs that looks back and celebrates one of the greatest artists of all time” which he conceived, wrote, and, with the help of his mentor Nate Jacobs, will bring to the WBTT stage SUNDAY MARCH 26 & MONDAY MARCH 27, 2023 7:30PM And Tues April 4th

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2-24-23 2-24-23 Memorial to the remarkable David Howard. A seemingly unassuming, mellow person, David was powerful on stage. He was not only a brilliant actor, he was that rare thing, a real human being. I’m sure it was his ability to be real in person, that was his superpower on stage. Listen to this gentle, formidable man talk about his life, his unshakable belief in what he had to be/do, and how he overcame the challenges to achieving his lifelong goal – to be the best actor he could be..

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You will leave the theater feel Good!
“The stories are touching and funny, mostly they make you feel good”   Jay Handelman Art/Theater Critic for the Sarasota Herald Tribune
“It’s like an antidepressant for the soul” Stage/screen actress E. Katherine Kerr                                                        
The Players Centre Tickets $36.00 – 941-365-2494 – ThePlayers.org
Produced by the Sarasota Jewish Theatre

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6-27-22 Deb has created concerts and revues for Jazz at Lincoln Center, NJPAC and the Schimmel Center at Pace University. Feinstein’s/54 Below, and the Birdland Theater. As Artistic Director of the 92Y’s Lyrics & Lyricists American Songbook concert series, for nine years, she brought top tier artists from Broadway and music, to the 50 original shows she presided over.

Again, bringing top tier artists from Broadway and music, plus Lincoln Center’s remarkable Jazz musicians, Deb has created Songbook Sunday’s for Dizzy’s club at Lincoln Center. Each event highlighting a great songwriter Sunday July 17^th.will be “Anything Goes! Cole Porter and More Cole Porter.

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The Anatomy of an Artist Series with Lynne Bernfield

Can be heard and downloaded at

4-6-22 I interviewed Cabaret Performers Anne Pringle Burnell and Mark Burnell right before the start of the Pandemic. In their interviews both Anne and Mark talk about the way they found their love of Cabaret and each other, In Anne’s interview she talks about The Chicago Cabaret week which was about to begin. It didn’t happen then, but it is happening now at the Epiphany Center for the Arts – Get tickets at epiphanychi.com/tickets –

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Bill Charlap comes from a musical family. His father was the composer Moose Charlap, best known for the score of Peter Pan and his mother, Sandy Stewart, a singer, who was a regular on Perry Como’s Kraft Musical Hall, and recorded the hit song “My Coloring Book.”

 Bill recorded Love Is Here to Stay, and Something to Remember with his mother. His albums Somewhere, featuring the music of  Leonard Bernstein, and Live at The Village Vanguard received Grammy Award nominations. The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, which he produced with Tony Bennett, won the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. He was the musical director of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, A Celebration of  Johnny Mercer.  He succeeded Dick Hyman as Artistic Director of New York City’s 92nd Street Y and is the Director of Jazz Studies at William Patterson University.

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4-18-22 In the second half of my interview with Frank Galati, Frank continues to describe the serendipity of his extraordinary career, and talk about the creation, with Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, of the brand new musical Knoxville, based on the on the Pulitzer Prize winning book A Death in the Family by James Agee and Pulitzer Prize winning play All the Way Home by Tad Mosel which will have its premier at the Asolo on Saturday 4-23-22.

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 4-15-22 Interview with Actor, Director, Teacher Tony Award winning Playwright Frank Galati. I began my interview with the indefinable Frank Galati while he was directing a production of 1776 for the Asolo Theater. He was summarily whisked away for rehearsal so we never got to talk about 1776. In this half our conversation Frank talks about his early life. 

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http://www.thelynneshow.com/Audio/Podcasts/Show_643_3_7_22_Memorial_to_Tony%20Walton.mp3

3/7/22 Memorial to Director, Costume and Set Designer Tony Walton

 I interviewed the remarkable Tony Walton when he directed George Bernard Shaw’s The Devil’s Disciple for the Asolo Repertory Company in Sarasota FL. Known primarily for his design work, Tony was delighted to be interviewed as a director. Listen to this generous, delightful, funny, charming, man describe his astounding career, the success of which he self-deprecatingly credits to “dumb luck.”  See below some of his awards

Tony Awards for Pippin, House of Blue Leaves, and Guys and Dolls.

Oscar, for All That Jazz,

Emmy, TV version of Death of a Salesman

Academy Award for Best Production Design 1980,

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design 1992, 1986, 1973

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction – Miniseries, Movie or a Special 1986

Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Scenic Design 1996

Art Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award 2012

Academy Award nominations for Mary Poppins (1964), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), and The Wiz (1978).^[1]

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2-19-22Interview

2-19-22 Scholar, Business Woman, Feminist, Author, Screenwriter Jane Plitt has been a champion advocate for small business, women, and social justice. She was chosen by SAVVY magazine as one of fourteen outstanding women in New York State and by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a Small Business Advocate. Her current passion is bringing to light the true story of how Martha Matilda Harper, a servant girl from the time she was seven years old, became a successful entrepreneur and created modern franchising in 1891 with her Harper Method, a healthy hair and skincare salons. Having written three books on the subject, Jane has now created a delightful and inspiring video about Marvelous Martha, which will be shown on February 23 from 4:00-6:00, at the Manatee Performing Arts Center 502 3rd Ave W, Bradenton, FL 34205 (941) 748-5875, tickets at $8,00- $12.00. And can be seen at Through Women’s Eyes film festival and available remotely  March 10-14 any time!  click. https://twe2022.eventive.org/films/.

Listen to this charming, self-deprecating woman describe her six year journey to finally bring Martha Harper the credit she deserves and was denied – and highlight the possibilities for woman and girls which they too have been denied.

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  2-4-22– Memorial to painter Eleanor Merritt. Eleanor began to draw when she was five years old and “never stopped making Art.” She was supported in her passion by her mother, an immigrant with a 6^th grade education, who once challenged an elementary teacher who complained that Eleanor was “always drawing.” I interviewed Eleanor when she was over seventy and still going strong. She said she’d “learned to compartmentalize” so she could do all of the things she wanted and needed to do with her life. She gave all the attention needed to her work as a teacher, the love and care of her husband and children, and never stop doing Art – even when she had to do it “in the bathroom after midnight.” Eleanor never stopped exploring her own very personal relationship to painting and courageously believed in her own artistic vision. When she moved to Sarasota, her work was very different from the popular “palm trees and sunsets,” and when shown would be “hung by the bathroom door, or in a corner.” She never gave up creating her own work and was rewarded when her work was recognized.  Eleanor Merritt is a role model for ‘self-actualization’ and listening to her story tells us all how it can be done. Listen to this passionate woman describe her very special life and come see her extraordinary work in a Remembrance to Eleanor Merritt at the Ringling Museum Feb 18, 2022 – Aug 21, 2022 at Art Gallery 12

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-31-22 Actor, Director, Playwright, Administrator, and Educator. Lee Gundersheimer has done it all. Actor in 75 shows in New York and more all over the country. Director of over 80 plays, from Shakespeare to Annie. Playwright of 7 full length plays and 4 one acts including “Incommunicado,” nominated for four Audelco Awards, and opened the new Federal Theater Season off Broadway and Pas De Deux which won Best play in the New Play Festival on Theater Row. Administrator – he built and ran two theaters in New York; a Rep Company an off Broadway theater, was the Managing Director of a professional Shakespeare Festival and Arts and Culture Coordinator for the city of Winona, MN. Educator he taught at 7 University’s. Listen to this passionate man describe a lifelong commitment to every aspect of Theater.   

 

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