After many years designing theaters, Theater Design President Michael Mell will return to his first love: designing lighting for Sam Clemens – Tales of Mark Twain performed by Joe Baer at the Actors Temple Theatre in NYC. Performances are on weekends beginning May 6 through June 25.
Today, Mark Twain is still revered by many as a leading American author, social critic and humorist. His work stands out as an outstanding achievement of authenticity, spattered with autobiographical elements and experiences from Twain’s childhood that paint vivid backdrops for each story told.
In this solo show, Joe Baer portrays Samuel Clemens near the end of his career, in a narrative and thought-provoking performance. He presents a nostalgic look back through time; starting from Twain’s rural roots in small town, Missouri, to his International acclaim. Context and words from the pen of Mark Twain are intertwined to reimagine this legend on the lecture circuit, highlighting the ebbs and flows of this iconic American figure’s life against a visual collage of historical imagery.
Joe Baer began his theatrical career in the 1970s backstage as an apprentice at the Metropolitan Opera (NYC). He worked on a variety of Broadway theaters and television shows to earn his Journeyman’s Union card, eventually landing the position of Assistant Electrician at Sesame Street and Head Electrician at the Ed Sullivan Theater.
Upon retiring in 2010, Joe moved his focus to the other side of the camera to fulfill a lifelong interest in solo shows. His most recent endeavor is Samuel Clemens: Tales of Mark Twain. This one-man show produced by Baerhands Theater and Television, Inc, is written and performed by Joe Baer with excerpts from the hand of Mark Twain.
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