| Samuel Clemens: Tales of Mark Twain to Begin Previews Off Broadway on May 6 | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 10:21 am EDT 04/08/23 | |
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| SAMUEL CLEMENS: TALES OF MARK TWAIN TO RUN OFF BROADWAY IN A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT SATURDAY, MAY 6th – SUNDAY, JUNE 25th AT THE ACTORS TEMPLE THEATRE, 339 W 47TH ST. THE CONTEMPORARY NEW SOLO SHOW ABOUT THE CELEBRATED AUTHOR, JOURNALIST, AND HUMORIST, MELDS HISTORY AND STORY-TELLING WITH A SATIRICAL TWIST - AND FEATURES HIS ALL TOO RELEVANT TODAY PASSAGES AND SNAPPERS ABOUT POLITICS, WAR, RELIGION, AND EDUCATION CULLED FROM MARK TWAIN'S MANY HUMOROUS WORKS Baerhands Theater & Television, Inc. today announced a limited engagement of the original solo show, Samuel Clemens: Tales of Mark Twain, a contemporary new solo show about the celebrated author, journalist and humorist, that melds history and story-telling with a satirical twist. The production will run Off-Broadway Saturday, May 6th through Sunday, June 25th at the Actors Temple Theatre, 339 W 47th St. The official opening is set for May 13. Written, directed and performed by Joe Baer, the production tells the life story of Samuel Clemens with context and words from the pen of Mark Twain intertwined to reimagine this legend on the lecture circuit in the 21st century - highlighting the ebbs and flows of this iconic American figure's life against a visual backdrop of historical imagery. www.BaerhandsTheater.com In Samuel Clemens: Tales of Mark Twain Joe Baer presents a nostalgic look back through time (over the eight decades in which Clemens lived), beginning with Twain's rural roots in small town, Missouri, to his international acclaim. The show brings Twain back to life by conveying how many of the same topics back then are just as relevant in today's world. Baer's performance portrays Twain's irreverence for politics and politicians – and his penchant for embroidering the truth with less true but more interesting alternative facts. Peppered throughout the performance are passages and snappers culled from Mark Twain's many humorous works in front of a backdrop of historical visual projections. The show includes an abridged performance from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, inspired by Hal Holbrook's Mark Twain Tonight. "Instead of impersonating Twain on stage, my goal is to personify him – in a Twain character for the 21st century," says Baer. “His logic and ‘snappers' about Government, politics, war, religion, and education, are timeless - and many, for better or worse, are still applicable to todays' world. A prime example of this would be the fact that people have distrusted government since its inception. Twain had a penchant for observing politicians and then coming up with what he referred to as snappers that lampooned government officials and programs as a way of bringing awareness to them and starting up a public dialogue about them." Pointing to the shows humorous elements, Baer added: “There is a reason that Twain's Huck Finn is considered the beginning of Modern American literature and a reason that the National award for humor is called the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The prize recognizes those who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to Twain. As a social commentator, satirist and story-teller, Clemens fearlessly startled many with his keen observations while delighting and informing others with his uncompromising perspectives regarding social injustices and personal folly. Any late-night show monologue is a perfect example of how serious issues can be presented with humor." Samuel Clemens: Tales of Mark Twain has been touring the Hudson Valley for the past two years, including performances at The Linda (Albany), The Main Stage at Shadowlands (Ellenville) and the Stissing Center (Pine Plains) among others. Last November, Baer was awarded five TANYS awards at the 2022 Annual NYS Theater Festival for his performance including the 2022 Festival Adjudicators' Discretionary Award for Excellence In Overall Production and 2022 Festival People's Choice Award for his portrayal as Samuel Clemens. Set design, costumes, and digital Images and research are by Cynthia Saniewski Baer. Lighting Design is by Michael Mell / Theater Design, Inc. Wig provided by Backstage Artistry. Performances of Samuel Clemens: Tales of Mark Twain are scheduled every Saturday and Sunday beginning May 6th through June 25, with performances at 8pm on Saturdays and 2pm matinees on Sundays. The running time is 1 hour and 40-minutes and that time frame includes the intermission. Tickets are $59.50 and be purchased online at Telecharge here - or at the box office prior to each performance. ABOUT JOE BAER Joe Baer began his theatrical career in the 1970s backstage as an apprentice at the Metropolitan Opera (NYC). He worked on a variety of Broadway theater and television shows to earn his Journeyman's Union card, eventually landing the position of Assistant Electrician at Sesame Street and Head Electrician at the Ed Sullivan Theater. Later in his technical career he became the Head Lighting Director at WPIX Television, Inc. (NYC), winning an Emmy Award for lighting in 2003. Upon retiring from WPIX in 2010, Joe moved his focus to the other side of the camera to fulfill a lifelong interest in solo shows. His most recent endeavor is Samuel Clemens: Tales of Mark Twain. ABOUT BAERHANDS THEATER & TELEVISION, INC. Baerhands Theater & Television, Inc. was founded in 1991 as a support company for television and theater. The company provides lighting and production services to fit the individual needs of its clients. |
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