Actress Stritch will read three short Dorothy Parker pieces at the 1:30 PM reading at the National Arts Club. Melvin Bernhardt directs the afternoon, which will include Parker's "Just a Little One" and "The Lady with a Lamp." Lunch begins at 12:30 PM.

Stritch, whose return to Broadway in Elaine Stritch At Liberty was greeted with raves from the critics, also received a Tony Award for that performance. Her many theatre credits include Pal Joey, Sail Away, Company, Bus Stop, Show Boat and a Tony-nominated turn in Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance. Elaine Stritch At Liberty is available from DRG Records and on DVD from Image Entertainment.

Food for Thought Lunch Hour Theatre — run by artistic director Susan Charlotte — plays the National Arts Club, located in Manhattan at 15 Gramercy Park South. Tickets, priced at $45, include the one-act play reading, a question-and-answer session and a light sandwich lunch. Call (212) 362-2560 for reservations; for more information, visit www.foodforthoughtproductions.com.