“Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.”
– Mark Twain, The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson & the Comedy of the Extraordinary Twins
In 1974 Ron Jewell first assumed the likeness of writer Samuel Clemens. Soon after, Jewell found himself on the road touring full-time as his alter ego, Mark Twain. That tour lasted over 30 weeks and included some 300 performances throughout the Midwest. Since those days, Ron has completed some 2000 appearances in over half the states of the US. On April 21 at 8:00 pm in the Adventure Theater, Mr. Jewell once again dons the famous white suit of America’s most beloved humorist and returns to the Playhouse in Mark Twain At Large.
Mark Twain At Large is a stunning one-man theatrical tour de force that introduces us to the 70-plus-year-old Twain on a stormy night in his Connecticut home. Racing in from thunderous rains, he invites the audience into his study for an intimate conversation filled with stories and anecdotes taken directly from Twain’s writings. Jewell’s performance has been hailed across the country as “personable and touching,” as critics and audience members alike have delighted in his retelling of Twain’s tall tales.
Ron graduated from Belmont University in Nashville and has worked in dinner theatre, summer stock and film. He regularly performs in trade and industrial shows both in and out of his Mark Twain persona. In 1994 he opened the new Performing Arts and Conference Center in Bartlett, TN as its director. In 2003 and again in 2004, Jewell was named to Memphis Magazine’s “Top 100 Who’s Who in Memphis” for his work at the arts center.
Mark Twain At Large is sponsored by Mariner’s Pointe Resort.
Currently in the Adventure Theater: Driving Miss Daisy (rated G, sponsored by Dr. Stanley Bise, MD) has been held over through May 26 and The Moving of Lilla Barton (rated PG) through May 25. On the Mainstage through May 12 is All Shook Up! (rated PG, sponsored by The Conference Center at Fairfield Glade) and the hilarious musical Cowboys through July 20 (rated G, sponsored by The Beef & Barrel, The Blind Zebra, and Red’s Ale House). Tickets may be purchased online at www.ccplayhouse.com or by calling (931) 484-5000.
Tickets and information are also available for selected concerts at Crossville’s Palace Theater, Shanks Center for the Arts benefit Cabaret on April 28 (sponsored by Bean, Smith & Burnett Attys), Southern Symphonic Brass, and other events. All CCP productions are made possible through sponsor support, with additional support provided by the Tennessee Arts Commission.
