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Story teller
By BARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN
© St. Petersburg Times, It has been more than six years since John Masterson first presented to a live audience his one-man show, An Intimate Look at Mark Twain. At that time, it was well-received by audiences at Stage West Community Playhouse. On Saturday and Sunday, he'll reprise the role for two performances at Richey Suncoast Theatre. The first is at 8 p.m. Saturday, the second at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. "I researched 17 books on Mark Twain, read everything he did, then took it from second person and put it into first person," Masterson said. The result is a warm-hearted look at the writer-lecturer-humorist who wrote Huckleberry Finn, Life on the Mississippi and Tom Sawyer, as well as A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court and The Prince and the Pauper. When Masterson first thought about doing a one-man show, he wanted to do it on writer Truman Capote. "I couldn't get enough information," he said at the time. "But it's worked out well. There is just so much on Twain that I could have made three or four plays. He's just that interesting." For the show, Masterson dons a white suit with black tie and a curly white wig and holds a cigar. The retired New Jersey detective affects a Southern drawl. As the show starts, Masterson slips into character. "It does an old man's heart good to see that so many folks remember me," he says. Twain died in 1910. From there, he recalls scenes from his life and quotes passages from Twain's best-known writings. The show focuses on Twain's less controversial work. "He could be much more curt," Masterson says. "He didn't have much love for Baptists, Catholics and Republicans," who are numerous in Masterson's target market. "I wasn't wanting to offend them; I was there to entertain them." At a glanceWHAT: An Intimate Look at Mark Twain. WHERE: Richey Suncoast Theatre, 6237 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey. WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. TICKETS: $10 for adults, $5 for students. Box office is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and Saturday and an hour before each show. Call (727) 842-6777.
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