Lester Nafzger met Joe Frank when both were attending the Iowa Writers Workshop, and he has been involved in several of Joe's radio programs.
He co-wrote and played the title role in Performer, in which he memorably recites his 26 (and counting) definitive life reference points, linchpins of his existence.
He was born in Columbus, Ohio and went to Defiance College, lives in Woodstock NY.
"Lester Ainslie" is a stage name he sometimes uses.
"Lester Ainslie" and "Alan Barron" have a heated debate during a segment featuring a discussion of the Fast Piano Players League in Arena. "Lester" has been following "Alan" around the world demanding to compete against him on the piano. Such competitions are called "Piano-Offs". "Alan" steadfastly refuses to play any of the newer works by Australian composers because the Fast Piano Players League doesn't recognize any piece written before 1910. It was re-used in Emergency Room.
Lester has appeared in the following programs:
Program
|
Air date
|
Series
|
Cast
|
Arena
|
1979-06-08
|
WBAI And NPR Playhouse
|
Annalee Jefferies, Arthur Miller, Paul Mantell, Rosemary Foley, Eric Sears, Tim Jerome, Matt Bassford, Lester Nafzger, Joe Frank
|
Summer Notes
|
1979-08-22
|
WBAI And NPR Playhouse
|
Tim Jerome, Beth Dixon, Arthur Miller, Lester Nafzger, Rosemary Foley, Paul Mantell, Fran Dorn, David St. James, Joe Frank
|
The Decline Of Spengler
|
1982
|
WBAI And NPR Playhouse
|
Barbara Sohmers, Joseph Palmieri, Lester Nafzger, Irene Wagner, Tim Jerome, Leslie Cass, David Rapkin, Rosemary Foley, Charles Potter, Arthur Miller, Brother Theodore, Joe Frank
|
Warheads
|
1983-04-12
|
WBAI And NPR Playhouse
|
Lester Nafzger, Paul Mantell, Arthur Miller, Mark Hammer, Irene Wagner, Joe Frank
|
Across The River
|
1984-03-27
|
WBAI And NPR Playhouse
|
Arthur Miller, Paul Mantell, Lester Nafzger, Avery Hart, Joe Frank
|
Photography
|
1986
|
Work In Progress
|
Tim Jerome, Nick Ullett, Sandy Faison, David Rapkin, Lester Nafzger, Arthur Miller, Joe Frank
|
Rain
|
1986
|
Work In Progress
|
Angel, Shawn, Dinah, Chantell, Lester Nafzger, Larry Massett, Scott Carrier, Joe Frank
|
A Landing Strip In The Jungle
|
1986
|
Work In Progress
|
Lester Nafzger, Fred Coffin, Arthur Miller, Joe Frank
|
Nightride
|
1986
|
Work In Progress
|
Tim Jerome, Mark Hammer, Joseph Palmieri, Alan Hunter, Lester Nafzger, Annalee Jefferies, F. Murray Abraham, Arthur Miller, Joe Frank
|
Emergency Room
|
1988
|
Work In Progress
|
Arthur Miller, Tim Jerome, Larry Block, Paul Mantell, Lester Nafzger, Joe Frank
|
Performer
|
1989
|
Work In Progress
|
Lester Nafzger, Julie Renick, Joe Frank
|
The Loved One
|
1993
|
In The Dark
|
Grace Zabriskie, Arthur Miller, Laura Esterman, Lester Nafzger, Farley Ziegler, Heidi Nordberg, Harvey Perr, Joe Frank
|
The Loved One (Remix)
|
1996
|
Somewhere Out There
|
Grace Zabriskie, Arthur Miller, Laura Esterman, Lester Nafzger, Farley Ziegler, Heidi Nordberg, Harvey Perr, Joe Frank
|
Reprise
|
1996-07-28
|
Somewhere Out There
|
Arthur Miller, Lester Nafzger, Fred Coffin, Avery Hart, Tim Jerome, Ryan Cutrona, Paul Mantell, Joe Frank
|
The Other Side (Show)
|
1997-03-16
|
Somewhere Out There
|
Larry Block, Lester Nafzger, Paul Mantell, Arthur Miller, Mark Hammer, Irene Wagner, Joe Frank
|
Arena (Remix)
|
1997-04-06
|
Somewhere Out There
|
Annalee Jefferies, Arthur Miller, Paul Mantell, Rosemary Foley, Eric Sears, Tim Jerome, Matt Bassford, Lester Nafzger, Joe Frank
|
Joe Frank Live - Women Police Officers
|
1997-07-05
|
Somewhere Out There
|
Lester Nafzger, Larry Block, Joe Frank
|
Last Show
|
1997
|
Somewhere Out There
|
David Cross, Tim Jerome, Beth Dixon, Arthur Miller, Barbara Sohmers, Mark Hammer, Carolyn Swift, Jerry Klein, Theresa Nolan, Paul Mantell, Lester Nafzger, Avery Hart, Joe Frank
|
Summer Notes (Remix)
|
2000-01-02
|
The Other Side
|
Tim Jerome, Beth Dixon, Arthur Miller, Lester Nafzger, Rosemary Foley, Paul Mantell, Fran Dorn, David St. James, Joe Frank
|
Waiting For The Bell
|
2001-04-22
|
The Other Side
|
Laura Esterman, Arthur Miller, Grace Zabriskie, Keith Talbot, Larry Block, Helen Wilson, Walica Fuller, Lester Nafzger, Farley Ziegler, Heidi Nordberg, Harvey Perr, Jack Kornfield, Joe Frank
|
Bad Faith
|
2005-03-15
|
Online
|
Larry Block, Lester Nafzger, Joe Frank
|
Goodbye
|
2006-12-30
|
Online
|
Lester Nafzger, Gideon Brower, Michal Story, Larry Block, Mike Fremuth, Joe Frank
|