Hal Holbrook will once again perform his time-honored show,"Mark Twain Tonight!," in Emens auditorium Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Theshow is an assembly of Mark Twain's writings and observationsperformed by Holbrook.
Hal Holbrook first performed "Mark Twain Tonight!" in 1954 andhas performed the show every year since. He has portrayed MarkTwain in over 2,000 performances over 50 years. Despite having wonfive Emmys, a Tony and a score of other awards, Holbrook said, "Isuppose it would be impossible to say that Mark Twain wasn't mybiggest accomplishment."
Holbrook studied theatre at Denison University, where he and hisfirst wife constructed a two-person show comprised of manycharacters, one of whom was Mark Twain.
"It was just an accident, and it turned out to be a good idea,that's all," said Holbrook about the character.
Holbrook singled out the character and started doing showssolely as Twain. "People don't get interested in something ifsomething about it or that person's work doesn't connect withsomething inside of you," said Holbrook. "Something in me waswaiting to be captured by this man's thinking process."
Holbrook says he enjoys performing Mark Twain's material becauseit is a personal expression for him.
"His material is exciting and keeps you interested. His materialis not only fun to do, but I get a chance to talk about thingsindirectly that are going on in the world and in the country and inmy life. I get a chance to express my feelings about what's goingon. So that I get a chance to say things about the world I'm livingin that bother me tremendously.
"I reacted to [Twain] early, once I got into the deeper materialof his, the stuff that's really filled with thoughtful commentaryabout life and our society, once I got into that I thought 'Oh myGod. This guy is amazing. This is true stuff,'" Holbrook said.
Holbrook said he especially wants audiences to know he does notchange Twain's writing.
"I don't update his material. I do not rewrite Mark Twain'smaterial. I don't modernize it. I don't update it because it's muchmore effective if you don't update it. It gets an added kick thatway if you don't update the material," Holbrook said.
Holbrook has over sixteen hours of material researched andprepared to perform in "Mark Twain Tonight!"
"I have a whole lot of material and I change the show all thetime. I rarely do exactly the same show in a row," he said.
When asked how he prepares for a show, Holbrook said, "I think."Although he does admit he has been able to relax into the characterover the past 50 years.
"When I was young, I was young and playing an old man. As I lookback on it now, it seems like I was straining to play on old man,because now it's no strain. The thing you have to guard againstthen is being 70 years old and putting on an old character. You'lllook like someone who's walking into his grave, so you just have torelax and just basically use your own physique," he said.
"Mark Twain Tonight!" shows many times throughout the year.
"Travel is very strenuous. When you're traveling around at theage of 79 you have to get pretty serious about your health. Becauseyou're like a machine and you have to keep it in shape," Holbrooksaid.
For ticket information, call the Emens Box office at (765)285-1539.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
