The Neil Simon Collection

In addition to having won numerous awards for his plays, Neil Simon was voted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame, honored at the Kennedy Center, and received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. This collection features 10 of Simon's best works, each performed by an all-star cast. Titles include THE ODD COUPLE, a story of impossibly mismatched roommates; BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS, BILOXI BLUES, and BROADWAY BOUND, a tender semiautobiographical trilogy; and LOST IN YONKERS, which earned Simon the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1991. Each play begins with a brief introduction, appropriate sound effects, and occasional period-setting music, all contributing to make the set a perfect fit for audio. Additional titles include BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, PLAZA SUITE, CALIFORNIA SUITE, THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE, and CHAPTER TWO. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Starred review from May 2, 2011
Simon fans are in for a treat in this collection of the superbly produced full-cast performances of 10 of his beloved plays including Barefoot in the Park, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Lost in Yonkers, Biloxi Blues, and California Suite. Especially memorable are Richard Dreyfuss's madcap portrayal of on-the-edge New Yorker Mel Edison in The Prisoner of Second Avenue; Eric Stoltz and Laura Linney's turn as stressed out newlyweds in Barefoot in the Park; and David Paymer and Nathan Lane's pitch-perfect versions of neurotic Felix Ungar and slothful Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple. This gem of a collection, which captures Simon's wit and wisdom, is the next best thing to center orchestra seats.