Brooklyn book party features famed actors
John Doman, Mercedes Ruehl Among Readers Of Andrea Chapin’s Historical Novel ‘The Tutor’
“This is probably the most exciting thing I’ve ever done,” author Andrea Chapin told a crowd in Brooklyn Heights Wednesday night. Nearly 100 fans and friends of the writer gathered at the home of Rachel Foster and Alain Kodsi to celebrate Chapin’s debut novel, “The Tutor” (Riverhead Books), an imaginative story that brings to life a young William Shakespeare in 1590s England by illuminating a brilliant young woman who inspired the literary icon.
Chapin, who used to live in the Pierrepont Street building where the reading took place, was grateful that her project had come full circle. “I finished the book upstairs; I sold the book upstairs,” she explained, graciously thanking the hosts. “The Tutor” was published by Riverhead Books just last month.
While many Brooklynites are familiar with book launch parties, this was not a typical reading. The audience was treated to a special presentation of Chapin’s book, with four acclaimed actors delivering a dynamic reading of the text. Readers included longtime Brooklyn Heights resident John Doman, known for his performances in “The Wire,” “Gotham” and the Golden-Globe-winning series “The Affair”; Academy and Tony Award-winning actress Mercedes Ruehl from “The Fisher King,” “Lost in Yonkers,” and “Married to the Mob”; Christian Scheider from “Words and Pictures”; and Reshma Shetty from the hit series “Royal Pains.”