"Why shoudn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to stick to the possibilities." Mark Twain
A
window into the heart and soul of Mark Twain. His humor, voice and
knack for observation come across unfiltered and unedited. All the
words you will hear are Twain’s, with the exception of a few improvised
moments. The occasion is a celebration given in Twain’s honor on his 70th
birthday. Twain goes off unabashedly on tangents that reveal many of
the familiar and not-so-familiar aspects of his personal story.
THE STORY BEHIND THE PLAY
Chapters From My Autobiography is a theatrical adaptation of Mark Twain’s work by the same name. Beginning in 1906, Twain dictated recollections of his life to his secretary A. B. Paine over some 242 sittings. He wanted to entertain his audience by talking to them in a spontaneous, natural manner and avoid a chronological retelling of his life. Twain goes off unabashedly on tangents and whims to humorous and moving effect. Twain intended that his autobiography not be published until after his death in order to protect the “victims”. However, much of the material was published in serial format over 26 installments in the North Atlantic Review beginning in 1907. It was an immediate hit with his vast audience. Chapters From My Autobiography provides a window into the heart and soul of Mark Twain. His tone, voice and attitudes come across unfiltered and unedited. It is the main source for this theatrical piece. It's his seventieth birthday—and he's out to tell the world how he got there!
Click below to see a bit of the show!
TICKET INFO
Performance dates: Soon we will resume performances of Chapters From My Autobiography at 2PM on the weekends at our theatre in St. Veronica’s Church, 149 Christopher Street, New York. (Near Washington Street by the river. By subway take 1/9 to Christopher or A,C,E or L to 14th street.)
Call 212 563-4191 for dates, tickets and reservations. All seats $15 Running time: 60 minutes Please note: This theatre space is not handicap accessible. There is a flight of stairs.
