Friday, April 22nd at 7:30 p.m.
Hal Holbrook served in the U.S.
Army in Newfoundland during World War II. When the war was over, he attended
Denison University and graduated in 1948. Over the next several years, he
developed a one-man show in which he impersonated Mark Twain, one of the
greatest writers in American Literature. According to Playbill Magazine, the
first performance of the show was in 1954 at Lock Haven State Teachers College
in Pennsylvania. Holbrook has been performing as Mark Twain ever since.
Holbrook appeared as Twain on The
Ed Sullivan Show in 1956. In 1959, he performed as Twain in an off Broadway
venue. After that, the U.S. Department of State sponsored an international
tour. In 1966, the show premiered on Broadway. Holbrook won a Tony Award for
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play. That was followed by an Emmy
Award nomination for the 1967 television broadcast of the production.
Just as Mark Twain brought his
wit and humor to far-flung places, Holbrook-as-Twain has also performed around
the world, from Saudi Arabia to Warsaw, from Edinburgh to New Delhi. Holbrook
is not simply an impersonator of Mark Twain. He is a highly respected authority
on the writer about whom Hemingway once said, "American literature
began."
Reviews of Mark Twain
Tonight!
“Uncanny. A dazzling display of virtuosity.” The New Yorker
“Holbrook’s characterization of
the great novelist and raconteur is, to this day, a work in progress. The
transformation is so complete as to be almost unsettling at times. The
combination of Holbrook’s physical and vocal talents and the potency of Twain’s
words is a mesmerizing thing to behold.” Washington
Post
”One of the treasures of the American Theatre.” Life Magazine
“As politically of the moment as
Al Franken and Bill Maher, Mr. Holbrook has tailored his Mark Twain handbook of
quotes and set pieces to focus on the corruption and fabrications of
politicians and journalists, subjects that alas seem excruciatingly relevant
just now. His delivery is rambling, skirting the edges of senility and then
zeroing into sharp focus with punch lines that grab you from behind.” New York Times
“Uproariously funny!” Time Magazine
“Written in 1954, Mark Twain Tonight! remains to this day
the most admired of all one man shows. This is no museum piece – it is acting
of the first order. From the moment Hal
Holbrook steps on stage, you simply take for granted that Mark Twain himself is
up there talking to you.” Wall Street
Journal
“A genuine piece of theatrical history! Mark Twain Tonight! remains the standard bearer in terms of biographical solo drama.” New York Post
Hal Holbrook, Master of Stage and Screen
Hal Halbrook began his career in
show business over half a century ago. To say that he has been successful would
be an understatement. He built his reputation primarily on TV, where he played
such memorable roles as Abraham Lincoln, as Senator Hays Stowe on The Bold
Ones, and as Captain Lloyd Bucher on Pueblo. He has been nominated for a dozen
Emmy Awards and has won five times. He has also been nominated twice for
prestigious awards from the Screen Actors’ Guild and for an Academy Award for
his supporting role in Into the Wild.
He has appeared in dozens of
movies on both the big screen and on TV. They include Magnum Force, All the
President’s Men, The Star Chamber, Men of Honor, and The Firm. In the past
decade alone, he has appeared in guest roles on TV in The Sopranos, The West
Wing, NCIS, E.R., and The Sons of Anarchy. Holbrook’s stage experience includes
roles in The Glass Menagerie, Man Of LaMancha, King Lear, Merchant Of Venice,
and Death Of A Salesman.
In 1999, Holbrook was inducted
into the New York Theatre Hall of Fame. In 2003 he was presented with the
National Medal of the Humanities by President Bush at the White House.
Coming Soon to the Thrasher-Horne
Center
Catch the Fever – Saturday Night
Fever – at Thrasher-Horne Center
7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 7th, and
Tuesday, March 8th
Lights! Action! Disco! You should be dancing, yeah!
Lights! Action! Disco! You should be dancing, yeah!
Feel the energy Monday, March 7th, and
Tuesday, March 8th, at the Thrasher-Horne Center. Saturday Night Fever is
packed with hits from the Bee Gees, including "Stayin' Alive,"
"Night Fever," "Jive Talking," "You Should Be
Dancing," and "How Deep is Your Love." There
are also several new songs that were written especially for this thrilling
production.
ONCE - THE
NORTHEAST FLORIDA PREMIERE!
Sunday, May 1st, 2:00
p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
As the chemistry between them
grows, his music soars to powerful new heights. However, their unlikely
connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance.
Emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, ONCE draws you in from the very
first note and never lets go. It’s an unforgettable story about going for your
dreams, not living in fear, and the power of music to connect all of us.
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In this article, I’ve written about Hal Holbrook’s upcoming
performance of Mark Twain Tonight! at
the Thrasher-Horne Center. I’ve also noted other upcoming theater performances,
including Saturday Night Fever The
Musical, and the Northeast Florida Premiere of ONCE.
Tickets for these events and others are on sale now on the Thrasher-Horne Center’s
website.
The Thrasher-Horne Center is one of the nicest venues of its type
in Northeast Florida. From concerts by renowned artists, to live theater, to
dance, to magic and other fantastic shows, you can see it all at the Thrasher
Horne-Center!
Spread the word about one of Northeast Florida’s best kept
secrets! Tell your family and friends about the Thrasher-Horne Center. People
will appreciate learning about what they have been missing.
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