Lester Nafzger

Lester Nafzger

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