"An Evening with Mark Twain"

"An Evening with Mark Twain"

An Evening with Mark Twain

This is Mark Twain like you've never seen, read or heard before!

Mark Twain in the Adventures of Tom Sawyer

This is a show that Hal Holbrook could never have done!. While it is totally authentic. It puts Mark Twain and Samuel L. Clemens on stage at the same time. The audience has the challenge of selecting the right one on the right occasion. It is also more entertaining, (not to take away from the master), because it contains audience participation in singing and music while keeping Twain's hilarious tall tales and witty humor.

Kurt H. Sutton was born in Mannheim, Germany, immigrating to the United States in 1950. He grew up in Canton, Ga, graduating from the University of Georgia in 1968 he then taught for 6 years in his hometown. and in North Carolina, where he received his MA. Ed. Adm.

He has performed as a business speaker, musician and entertainer for 30 years. In "An Evening with Mark Twain" his instruments include harmonica, guitar, and banjo. He has appeared in the movie, "Go Tell It on the Mountain" featuring Paul Winfield and "Night Shadows" featuring Wings Hauser.

As Mark Twain he has appeared in theatres nationally pleasing audiences with Twain's hilarous witticisms, wisdom and love for music.

Song from "Roughing It" called Buffalo Girls!

Kurt H Sutton as he appeared in a recent SRO performance as Mark Twain Sautee-Nacochee Arts Center!

Severna Park Voice, Baltimore, MD

Kurt H. Sutton Brought Mark Twain to Life at CAC

Mary P. Johnson

Kurt H. Sutton currently on tour with "An Evening With Mark Twain", made a stop at the Chesapeake Arts Center, which was transformed into the author's comfortable parlor room for and enjoyable performance Oct.23rd.

Described as America's first internationally known "stand up comic" by Sutton we learned that Samuel Clemens was also a fine musician who played guitar,banjo and harmonica.Garbed as an aging Twain in a white suit and flowing white hair Sutton demonstrated Twain's singing and playing style as he invited the audience to sing along on a variety of classic American songs like "Bicycle Built for Two" and "Old Time Religion". Which ended the hilarous "Grandfather and the Old Ram" story.

Our laughter grew as Twain recounted the challenges he experienced learning to ride a bicyle at age 70 - falling off in every conceivable way. Finally mastering the art after an encounter with a horse drawn wagon full of cabbages.

Sutton displayed his wide dramatic range while playing Huck, drunken Ol Pap, prissy Miss Watson and the runaway slave Old Jim. Sutton gave life to the hard times of Huck's friend Old Jim, fleeing with Huck on a raft to find honest work to improve the lot of his family. And Huck's struggle with his upbringing as he hid Jim on the raft from those on the river intent on harming the runaway slave.

"An Evening with Mark Twain" proved to be an all - American evening where we revisited a simpler America, one that had easily recognizable politicians and its share of corruption.

Sutton returned to the stage after the show and let us get to know more about the actor who was born in a bomb shelter in Germany in WWII.

Sutton confided that as he matured, he gained respect for all the men and women,who served this country in the Armed Forces in any capacity and asked the veterans in the audience to stand so he could honor them. The audience then joined him in singing "God Bless America" accompanied by his guitar. It was a proud and meaningful ending to an evening that truly celebrated the best in America.

Theatre Montgomery said:"Mr. Sutton has been on the circuit for over six years, and clearly has a comfort in the role, a command of a wealth of material, selections of which vary from performance to performance, and a demeanor that gets an audience to respond as to a long-time friend ".

The San Antonio Press wrote: "Act I focuses mostly on the author's reminiscences of his early life, punctuated with folksy old songs such as “Glory Train” and “Down in the Valley”, songs that Clemens himself would have played for his guest in the parlor. The audience was invited to sing along which most did with relish for the old music. Then Twain’s storytelling style is turned into a theatrical enactment of the “Grandfather’s Old Ram” as told by a character called Jim Blaine. It is a little thespian gem."

Severan Park, Balitmore MD review the show:"Sutton displayed his wide dramatic range as he traced the hard life of Huck’s friend Old Jim, fleeing with Huck on a raft to find honest work to improve the lot of his family, while Huck hid Jim from those on the river intent on harming the former slave. An Evening with Mark Twain proved to be an all-American evening where we revisited a simpler America; one that had easily recognizable politicians and its share of corruption.

Briandale Entertainment works with Theatres, Conventions, Schools and Libraries to bring this nationally acclaimed show of America's favorite author and humorist Mark Twain to entertain your audience.

We look forward to working with Agents and Promoters that are interested in presenting "An Evening with Mark Twain" as part of their distinguished line up. Please contact:

Briandale Entertainment

Linda Patterson

1981 Buford Dam Rd.

Buford, GA 30518

770-841-5330

mail to: briandale@mindspring.com