Academy Award nominee HAl Holbrook, whose Mark Twain Tonight! has defined the image and style of the great American author for thousands of theatergoers for over five decades, will perform his much-loved portrait of the great author on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Hartford's Lincoln Theater.
This unforgettable, one-night-only event is a collaboration of Hartford Stage, The Mark Twain House & Museum and The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., and launches The Mark Twain House & Museum's 2010 Centennial Celebration. The year 2010 marks the centennial of Mark Twain's death, the 175th anniversary of his birth, and the 125th anniversary of the publication of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in the U.S.
The Hartford marks a significant milestone of its own in 2010, celebrating the Bicentennial of its incorporation and two centuries of servIce To the communities in which its employees live and work. In honor of this achievement, The Hartford has made a historic underwriting commitment to both The Mark Twain House & Museum's Centennial events and Hartford Stage's Twain programs. The Hartford will be providing year-long financial support, including being the Presenting Sponsor of Hartford Stage's upcoming world premiere theatrical adaptation of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its Twain-related programs and education initiatives.
The performance of Mark Twain Tonight! marks the kick-off of this joint endeavor, as well as a return by the Emmy- and Tony Award-winning HAl Holbrook to the city Mark Twain loved so well. In 1956, Holbrook performed Mark Twain Tonight! at the Mark Twain Memorial's annual meeting, just three months after he had won nationwide acclaim with the piece on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Holbrook's most recent Hartford appearance was in the record-breaking production of Our Town at Hartford Stage in 2007, where he played the central role of the Stage Manager.
The Mark Twain House & Museum's Executive Director Jeffrey L. Nichols states, "Thanks to The Hartford, we have a full year planned with author lectures, special performances, fun-filled family activities, a new book club in collaboration with the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer with libraries across the state, insightful exhibitions, and, of course, the many events surrounding Hartford Stage's Tom Sawyer. We look forward to spending a year reflecting on the life, work and home of Mark Twain."
Hartford Stage Artistic Director Michael Wilson says of the partnership, "All of us at Hartford Stage are thrilled to be partnering with The Hartford and The Mark Twain House & Museum on these exciting celebratory events. We look forward to welcoming HAl Holbrook back to Hartford to revisit one of the great roles of his spectacular career, and are most grateful for The Hartford's sponsorship of our upcoming world premiere of Twain's classic The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Laura Eason's vibrant new adaptation will introduce another generation to the magic of Twain's genius."
"Mark Twain, one of our nation's greatest authors, was inspired to write some of his best works while living in Hartford," says Connie Weaver, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at The Hartford. "His renowned works provide insight into the American mindset of the late nineteenth century, and continue to have strong meaning for Americans today. Through this historic partnership between The Mark Twain House & Museum and Hartford Stage, Twain's work will again come to life and commemorate the rich history of our region. We are pleased to work on such a historic effort and look forward to celebrating our bicentennial year with two of Hartford's cultural gems."
