5 Questions With: Alan Kitty

Posted March 10, 2009, 11:27 am in Arts


He may have died in 1910, but Mark Twain is alive, well, and living it up in the 21st century! It's all thanks to performer Alan Kitty, who calls Twain an amazing inspiration. Of course we wanted to learn more, so we recruited him for our 5 Questions With series. After reading this article, if you want to learn more about Alan, including information for booking his show -- check out his Web site. And for more articles in the 5 Questions With library, click here.


1. Why Mark Twain? What is it about him that makes you so passionate about your work?

If you could say anything you wanted to anyone without fear of reprisal, would you? I think the best comedians are those with the ability to say things that might be surprising, or shocking. Twain was that comedian - perhaps the first in the modern sense. Twain was an outspoken social critic - so much so that some of his work remained unpublished until well after his death. But a dead Twain would not hesitate to publish anything he wanted. And that enables countless possibilities.
 
Torture aside, humor is the most efficient way to  influence the subconscious mind; and it is more subtle than torture. I write humor, and I can't resist the temptation  to respond when people complain about the state of the world. When they do this, they are really complaining about their own situation. Yet few are willing to do anything to change it. I couldn't say to them "what are you doing about it" unless I was willing to do something myself.

2. How did the idea for your show actually become reality? What were the challenges, successes, etc.?

I co-founded a troupe of actors called "Princeton Writer's Block." It was chartered with the purpose of presenting readings of new works. I had several plays in my head for years, but needed to set a goal before I could get them on paper. Those pieces were politically motivated, but I thought they lacked a sense of immediacy. So I satirized a political speech that eventually became the climax of the show. I use the style and create a vision of Mark Twain, the iconic figure who's words demand attention, and elicit laughter. The audience loved it. So did my colleagues, who suggested that I "had to do something with it."
 
Writing is the hardest thing there is to do. Writing in the style of a man who revolutionized travel writing, fiction, the speaking tour, - and was considered the funniest man alive - is beyond daunting. But writing means nothing if there is no one to read or listen to it. The greatest challenge was finding someone who could book the show into venues that would allow me to hone the material. I thought libraries and senior communities would be the best places to do this. Then the economy melted, which has resulted in dwindling venues, but it help me create more material. Some of the new stuff includes a viable solution to the economic crisis. Its not just reasonable. Its funny. In fact, there has been only one audience who failed to laugh. Well, it wasn't exactly an audience. It was an angry mob. I wish I could say I contributed to it, but they were angry before I got there. I cannot name them to save others who might be thinking about performing there, because they would come after me.


3. What do you want people to know about you? How would you like to be remembered?

First and foremost, I wish to be remembered as someone who made people think and laugh at the same time. I am also persistent. Anyone who doesn't know this about me will eventually get the message. But I work slowly. I started acting at age 6, professionally at age 30. I started making a living doing it at age 60. At this rate, I should begin to get recognition from my peers by the time I'm 100. If any of them are left.

4. Who have been the biggest influences in your life? People? Characters? Both?

Besides Twain, my greatest literary influences are the great writers of ancient mythology and History. They have created enormously varied ways to express fiction. My parents never overtly supported anything I did. It may have been unusual, but I now think of it as a way to dare a child to test his own passion and commitment. My childhood sweetheart enticed me to write, because she had more respect for writing than acting. My wife, because she challenges me to be better than my nature will allow.


5. Where do you see yourself in 1 year? 5 years? 10 years?

I want to take this show to an off-Broadway venue in 2010 - the 100th anniversary of Twain's death. In five years, most of my acting competitors will be dead. If I am not also, I will have their jobs. I also hope  to continue writing new works in the style of Twain. In ten years I will have outlived my father and grandfather. That will be achievement enough, considering the fact that my body seems to defy or reject any help I might offer to defer the inevitable. If I am still alive, I will accept all reasonable offers for writing or acting assignments. If offers are slow in coming, I will continue to create my own opportunities. I'm slow enough on my own without any outside help.

Want to learn more about Alan, including information for booking his show? Check out his Web site. And for more articles in the 5 Questions With library, click here.

About Alan Kitty
Every Twain Impersonator has a story to tell about how he found his Mark Twain. Alan Kitty began reading Twain at age 12 -- Twain's age when his formal education ended. The impression it made on the boy was compelling. Each lived in many states across the US. Both followed career paths with some striking similarities, including involvement in Printing, Publishing, Typography, Writing, and Public Speaking. Through natural disposition and acts of Providence, both men were drawn to the Arts. Kitty, who took his formal training in Acting in New York, has written four full-length plays and several shorter ones. He has been writing and performing as Mark Twain on stage and in film since 1979.

About Mark Twain
At least as well-known for his speaking talents as for his writing, Twain stands out as the first preeminent modern political humorist in America. He pursued many professions, settling on one that brought him accidental fame (writing), and another that saved him from financial ruin (public speaking).


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