2008 EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH TOUR “Adam was but human—that explains it all. He did not want the apple for the apple’s sake, he wanted it only because it was forbidden. The mistake was not in forbidding the serpent; then he would have eaten the serpent.”           --from Pudd’nhead Wilson by Mark Twain Mark Twain's Diaries of Adam and Eve Adapted for the stage by Ron Fitzgerald Our 2008 show will tour the Big Sky State from September 8-November 22, 2008. Book your performance and workshop dates today! You asked for a comedy and you got it! Montana Repertory Theatre proudly announces the revival of our wildly popular presentation of Mark Twain's Diaries of Adam and Eve. Last offered in 2001, Ron Fitzgerald’s 50-minute adaptation gives a contemporary slant to Mark Twain’s humorous, surprisingly touching account of the creation story. Go behind the scenes with confused Adam, enthusiastic Eve, and the “bitingly” funny Snake in their first encounters with each other and the new world around them! This uproarious comedy continues the Rep’s tradition of presenting staged works by acclaimed writers to Montana students and communities. About the Author: Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835-April 12, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American humanist, humorist, satirist, lecturer, and writer. He is most noted for his novels The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—often referred to as The Great American Novel—and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. During his lifetime, Twain was a friend of presidents, artists, leading industrialists, and European royalty. He enjoyed immense public popularity and his keen wit and incisive satire earned praise from both critics and peers. Today many consider Twain either a light-hearted, harmless humorist or a curmudgeonly, cynical satirist. In fact he was obsessed with the human fall from grace and our struggle, amidst foibles and mistakes, to reattain it. He once wrote, “The humorous story is strictly a work of art—high and delicate—and only an artist can tell it.” About the Playwright: Ron Fitzgerald is currently writing for the TV show "Weeds." His plays include Cyclone (which won a performance Obie Award), Parts Unknown, The River, Hair of the Dog, Jem & I, Safe, and this adaptation of Mark Twain’s Diaries of Adam and Eve. Cyclone and Parts Unknown were originally presented at the National Playwrights Conference. The recipient of a playwright fellowship, Ron attended the Juilliard School with Marsha Norman and Christopher Durang. He is the author of three books for teens: Becoming a Great Hitter, Fielding Ground Balls, and Essential Fishing (Children’s Press). Ron has a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.F.A. from Columbia University, but his real education came from touring Montana in the Rep’s production of The Turn of the Screw. Workshops: Along with the performance, we offer related workshops (please see details below) for student and community audiences. One workshop is included in the base price of $400. Additional workshops are only $75 each. Our Tour Begins in September. Once again the cost is only $400, thanks to fee support grants provided by the Montana Arts Council and Montana Rep. As always, we don’t want money to be an issue and will do our best to accommodate everyone interested in this theatrical and educational opportunity. Book Today! As our goal is to conclude booking this tour by the end of May 2008, we encourage you to call soon to get the best dates for your venue. EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS These 45- to 75-minute workshops are designed to fit your school schedule. Each can accommodate up to 35 students and is best held in an open space, such as a gym, library, all-purpose room, or cafeteria. A typical classroom filled with desks is not an ideal workshop space, but we try to be as flexible as possible and will work around your needs. The Art of Comedy: After examining the tradition of comic acting through video clips, students will get on their feet and create their own comic routines based on classic Commedia “bits.” This workshop promises a lot of laughs. Bringing Iconic Twain Characters to Life: Students will take turns reading and then staging short scenes adapted from excerpts from Twain’s famous novel, with emphasis on creating a believable character through vocal and physical choices. (Prerequisite: Students will have read Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.) Acting/Improvisation 101: This basic workshop takes students through a series of theatre warm-ups, acting exercises, and beginning improv games. TEACHER PACKS AND PRESS KITS Teacher Packs: Soon after school begins in the fall, we send out detailed study guides designed to help teachers prepare their classes for our arrival. This year’s teacher pack for Mark Twain's Diaries of Adam and Eve includes the following: • A biography of Mark Twain • Discussion questions and possible topics for writing, research, and scene work • Lesson plan/workshop ideas used by tour actors • Suggested reading list • Hints on theatre etiquette Press Kits: Along with the teacher pack, you’ll receive a press kit to use as you wish, to facilitate advertising the show in your community. It contains the following: • Short and long press releases • A prerecorded 30-second radio spot • Public service announcement (PSA) copy • Posters • Montana Rep company bios and general Rep background information • Programs for the show • Show itinerary • Director’s notes BOOK YOUR DATES TODAY! To schedule a performance and its accompanying workshops in your local middle school, high school, library, or arts center, please contact Teresa Waldorf, the Rep's educational outreach coordinator: (406) 243-2854 or teresa.waldorf@umontana.edu. Fee support monies from the Montana Arts Council and Montana Repertory Theatre are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and may cover up to 50% of your total cost.