Mark Twain will make an appearance at Goodrich High School. Sort of.
Actor Mark Mauldin, in the role of Mark Twain, takes the stage in ‘An Evening with Mark Twain? at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 1 in the Raymound C. Green Center for the Performing arts at Goodrich High School, 8029 Gale Road.
Mauldin will re-create a lecture made from a combination of other lectures given by Twain on his world tour, culminating in 1906.The monologue is representative of the Twain’s tendency to blend the humorous with the poignant.
Donna Heiderer, co-director of FAME, said the organization aimed this season to represent each of the four aspects of the performing arts–drama, music, art and dance — with the Twain performance being the dramatic experience for the community.
‘This is a professional actor that has toured the country doing this recreation of an actual lecture,? said Dawn Vanfleteren, publicity co-manager for FAME.
Vanfleteren said the lecture was controversial in its time, noting Twain’s books such as Huckleberry Finn continue to top lists of banned books around the country. Though still mildly controversial today, Twain ‘was even more so at the time he was living and touring,? said Vanfleteren.
This performance is the second of the season for FAME (Fine Arts; a Mainstream in Education), now in its second season.
FAME works to educate through different art experiences and has disbursed over $4,000 earned from presentations back into the schools in the form of workshops and artist in residency programs.
Mauldin will speak with Goodrich students in literature and drama classes the week of the performance, and will work with students involved Destination Imagination following his performance as part of FAME’s efforts to offer a community educational experience along with each performance.
The ability to both form and be able to support an opinion is one thing Heiderer said she hopes students learn from watching this performance.
Twain, said Heiderer, seemed to have an opinion on most everything, and had a keen sense of how to articulate that opinion.
Additionally, Heiderer said students can learn from Twain’s descriptive style of story telling.
‘They can learn from the eloquence of his words; the painting of pictures with words and story telling,? said Heiderer.
According to the website of Mauldin’s management company, www.mainstage-mgmt.com, the actor performance of ‘An Evening with Mark Twain? has taken him on five national tours in over 40 states, has been aired on PBS and on radio station NPR. Additionally, the site notes the performance? was adapted into a one hour ABC special entitled ‘Mark Twain: Sketches for Life.??
Tickets for An Evening with Mark Twain are $20 for premium seats, $15 for reserved seats and $12 for students and senior citizens. To purchase tickets call: (810) 591-2220. Details: www.goodrich.k12.mi.us.