New Musical 'Mark Twain's Blues' Opens 2/21 at Altered Stages

Cinna Productions is pleased to announce the World Premiere of Mark Twain's Blues, a new play with songs by Walt Stepp about a lecture by the famed author that's interrupted by the arrival of two of his most famous characters who accuse Twain of betrayal.

Directed by Tom Herman with Music Direction by David Wolfson and Choreography by James Beaudry, the production runs from February 15 through March 8 with an opening scheduled for February 21 at Altered Stages (212 West 29th Street).

"Mark Twain's Blues opens with the 65-year-old Mark Twain preparing for yet another of his frequent humorous lectures. But this one will be different, because soon after Twain begins to speak, he's surprised by a voice from the audience: it's Huckleberry Finn, now a full 20 years older than he was in Twain's book. He's soon joined by escaped slave Jim--now 50 years old--and together the two accuse their creator of betraying the truth of their lives in order to boost book sales. Determined to set the record straight once and for all, Huck and Jim act out some of the scenes in Twain's book...but this time, the way they really happened," explain press notes.

Featured in the cast are Bonne Kramer, Lance Olds, Barry Phillips and Bill Tatum as Mark Twain.

Walt Stepp (Book, Music and Lyrics) penned Lightin' Out: A Mark Twain Musical, which played Theatre Row's Judith Anderson Theatre. Other credits include Dominoes: A Watergate/Fanne Fox Musical, Why We Shot John: The Conspirators Play, and The View From K-Street Steak.

Tom Herman (Director) has directed theatre in NYC for more than a decade. Recent productions include his revival of Sam Shepard's Buried Child for The Michael Chekhov Theatre and his critically applauded and popular productions of Kenneth Lonergan's Lobby Hero and Caryl Churchill's Cloud Nine at Brooklyn's Gallery Players.

Scenic design is by Jan Varbelow, lighting by Charles Foster, costumes by Cathy Small and sound by Chris Rummel, with Todd Schwartzberg as stage manager.

The performance schedule is Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 PM, Sundays at 5:00 PM and Mondays at 8:00 PM (with no performance on Monday, March 3).Tickets are $18 (Thursdays are Pay-What-You-Can Night) and are available from Smarttix at (212) 868-4444 or via the web at www.Smarttix.com.  For more information, please log onto the production's website at www.MarkTwainsBlues.com

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