Mark Twain’s Comedy Is he Dead? at Las Vegas Little Theatre

Posted on 06 November 2009

The Las Vegas Little Theatre presents Mark Twain’s Comedy Is he Dead?.

An impoverished artist in 1860s France stages his death in order to increase the value of his paintings. Combining elements of burlesque, farce, and social satire, this hilarious comedy by Mark Twain and adapted by David Ives uses cross-dressing, mistaken identities, and romantic deceptions to raise questions about fame, greed and the value of art.

In 1898, Mark Twain was suffering from financial hardships, as well as the recent loss of his youngest daughter. There were those who wondered if the famous author would ever find his humorous muse again. Twain’s response was to write Is He Dead?, a high-spirited romp that he planned on premiering simultaneously in New York and London. But the play was never produced, and remained largely unknown.

Is He Dead? was first published in print in 2003, after Mark Twain scholar Shelley Fisher Fishkin read the manuscript in the archives of the Mark Twain Papers at the University of California at Berkeley. The play was long known to scholars but never attracted much attention until Fishkin arranged to have it published in book form. She later played a primary role in getting the play produced on Broadway in 2007. And now the Las Vegas Little Theatre is giving local audiences its chance.

Is He Dead? focuses on Jean-Francois Millet, a young painter of genius, who is in love with Marie Leroux, but in debt to a villainous picture-dealer, Bastien Andre. Andre forecloses on Millet, threatening debtor’s prison unless Marie marries him. Millet realizes that the only way he can pay his debts and keep Marie from marrying Andre is to die, as it is only dead painters who achieve fame and fortune. With the help of his friends, Millet fakes his death and prospers, while passing himself off as his own sister, the Widow Tillou. Now a rich “widow,” he must find a way to get out of a dress, return to life, and marry Marie.

Mark Twain’s Comedy Is he Dead? runs for 3 weeks ONLY, November 6 – 27, 2009. Performances: Thursday – Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm.

Full price: $22, $19 Student / Senior

Discounts available for selected dates -To buy at the discount price of $14.50 – click here: How the Other Half Loves (Must sign up for FREE Goldstar membership)

Las Vegas Little Theatre
3920 Schiff Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89103
702-362-7996