Salon Series Features Author on Gossip, Eavesdropping in Westport

“Books Worth Talking About,” a recently launched partnership between Westport Country Playhouse and Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc., provides an opportunity to interact with prominent authors and explore ideas and themes to enrich the theater-going experience. Topics of the literary salons and theatrical productions are designed to complement each other.

Dr. Locke will discuss eavesdropping and gossip, themes that are prevalent in “Tartuffe.”  He will also talk about “gendered” speech, social technology, language development, and related issues in human communication.

“We are thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Meryl Moss and welcoming Dr. Locke for our second literary salon of the 2012 Season,” said Jen McCool, Playhouse community engagement coordinator.   “We had a wonderful response to our first event with authors Nina Sankovitch and Tessa Smith McGovern and their discussion added a special depth and introspection for our audience members attending ‘The Year of Magical Thinking.’ Dr. Locke has a unique understanding of language, which I think will help illuminate the crackling dialogue and humor of ‘Tartuffe’ in a very exciting way.”

Dr. Locke is Professor of Linguistics in the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, Lehman College (City University of New York), and Professor of Language Science in the CUNY doctoral program.  He is also a member of the Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA) at the University of California, San Diego and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Much of Dr. Locke’s research deals with some aspect of the biology of language, usually its development in infants and its evolution in the species.  He has published over 130 scientific articles, chapters, and books, including The Child’s Path to Spoken Language, published by Harvard University Press in 1993.  In recent years, Dr. Locke has published three trade books on aspects of human communication:  The De-Voicing of Society: Why There’s No One to Talk To Anymore (Simon & Schuster, 1998); Eavesdropping: An Intimate History (Oxford University Press, 2010); and Duels and Duets: Why Men and Women Talk So Differently (Cambridge University Press, 2011). His website is:  www.johnllocke.com.

The literary salon is open to anyone with a ticket for the Tuesday, July 24 performance.  Subscribers to other performances may exchange their tickets into this evening by contacting the Playhouse box office at203-227-4177.

Dr. Locke’s books will be available for purchase at the event from Playhouse community partners The Fairfield University Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Fairfield University Bookstore.

An upcoming literary salon will be on Wednesday, August 29, before the world premiere of the comedy “Harbor,” by Tony Award-nominated playwright Chad Beguelin.

Reservations for the “Books Worth Talking About” literary salon are necessary.  RSVP atmarketing@westportplayhouse.org or the Playhouse box office at (203)-227-4177.

For more information or tickets to “Tartuffe,” playing July 17 – August 4, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets are available online 24/7 at www.westportplayhouse.org. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse), view Playhouse videos on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse) or get an insider’s peek on The Playhouse Blog (www.theplayhouseblog.org).