National-touring actor, Kurt H. Sutton, performs An Evening with Mark Twain this weekend only at North Bend’s Valley Center Stage theater.
In the production, Sutton portrays Samuel Clemens, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain, in An Evening With Mark Twain. Sutton graces the stage with wit, wisdom, and frequent spot-on criticisms of American culture, society and politics, bringing to life Samuel Clemens – the man behind the infamous pen name.
In addition to his work as an author, Mark Twain is also revered as America’s greatest humorist, gaining recognition later in life for remarkable speaking engagements where he entertained crowds by giving excerpts from his books and telling stories that reminisced on his life and travels. According to the Library of Congress, “At a time when the public lecture was a very popular form of entertainment, and audiences’ expectations ran high, Twain never failed to amuse.”
The play’s setting is simply Clemens’ (aka Mark Twain) parlor – a carpet, a wing-backed armchair, a lectern, a couple of instruments, and some other props – from which Sutton recites, sings, passes judgment on several sacred cows and entertains audiences with his quick wit, sly grin, and frequent forays into folk and “spiritual” music that Clemens loved to sing and play to entertain friends.
Born in Mannheim, Germany, Kurt Sutton immigrated to the United States in 1950. Sutton attended the University of Georgia and Western Carolina University, where his study and love of Mark Twain’s works first developed. For 30 years he’s captivated audiences as a motivational speaker and entertainer on the theatrical and music stage. Sutton’s musical talents, like Twain’s, include harmonica, guitar and banjo. He’s spent six years touring the country portraying Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens in theaters and at events.
An Evening with Mark Twain show times are Friday, September 14th, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, September 16th, at 2 PM. Tickets are $15.00 for adults and $12.50 for seniors/students. Valley Center Stage is located at 119 W. North Bend Way, in North Bend on the second floor of the Masonic Lodge. Tickets available at www.valleycenterstage.org.
Reservations can be made by calling (425) 831-5667 or e-mailing gary@valleycenterstage.org
