Meet Mark Twain: Special night in Nellysford on March 27

Actor Ryan Clemens, relative of Mark Twain (pen name of writer Samuel L. Clemens) will bring his show Meet Mark Twain to the Tuckahoe Clubhouse in Nellysford, VA on Friday, March 27.   His performance brings to life the celebrated American author and demonstrates that Twain’s wit and wisdom remain poignant and laugh-out-loud funny today, more than a century after his passing.  The evening will start at 6:30 pm with light refreshments and the performance will begin at 7:00 pm.

Meet Mark Twain was created by Ryan in honor of his ancestor.  When asked how close a relative he is to Clemens, he says, “Pretty far removed, but pretty darn close for a guy who died 100 years ago and left no direct descendants.”  He laughs and adds, “Actually, I tell people that he’s my great-great-great-great-grandfather’s brother’s son.”  Ryan, a member of the Virginia Stage Company, has been doing his Mark Twain for more than a decade.  He was inspired by his acting idol, Hal Holbrook, who presents Twain in his classic one-person show.

The tour of Meet Mark Twain is part of the outreach of the Virginia Stage Company.  The company has earned a reputation as one of the country’s foremost regional theaters, attracting the nation’s leading artists to the Wells Theatre stage. The Tony Award-winning musical, The Secret Garden, began its life at VSC, and its award-winning directors, designers and actors work in other theaters across the country as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in film and television. VSC also employs professional artisans, technicians and administrators who conceive, design, rehearse and build each production specifically for its audiences in Hampton Roads. These theater professionals come to VSC from all over the country and become vital members of the Hampton Roads community.

John-Robert Rimel will open for Ryan Clemens March 27.  John-Robert is a rising 14 Year Old High School Singer/Songwriter/Musician from the Shenandoah Valley who is not making his voice heard throughout the Valley, but Nationally and Worldwide.  John-Robert is currently a Cast Member of The Shenandoah Jamboree Show starring Ben Cooter Jones and Lisa Meadows.  John-Robert has gained National and World Recognition by appearing on the Highly Rated Ellen Show not just once, but twice.  Wonderful opportunities are opening up for this extremely talented youngster who just Loves to Sing!

The performance of Meet Mark Twain is supported in part by grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts

Tickets are $20 per person to the March 27th performance of Meet Mark Twain. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the WTA office at 540-943-9999 or visit the Wayne Theatre website, www.waynetheatre.org