Q&A: Dave Ehlert, aka "Mark Twain"

The will host Mark Twain Sunday. 

During “A Visit with Mark Twain," guests are invited to a lecture presented by the historical figure himself.

The lecture will begin at 2 p.m. and is located on the second-floor meeting room.

Patch sat down with Dave Ehlert, a professional entertainer and Twain impersonator, and discussed his live performances, his impersonations and his inspiration to become the famous humorist.

Q: Why do you impersonate Mark Twain?

A:  Because I can!  Actually, he is America's foremost humorist, the first "stand-up comic," the greatest influence on American literature and the most fascinating public speaker I've ever seen.

Q: Why do you think it's important for the public to learn about him?

A: He transformed American literature by using how we really talk instead of overly formal and artificial language.

Q: Why did you start impersonating Mark Twain?

A: I was drafted into this role, then became immersed in it.

Q: What does your lecture/presentation entail?

A:  Twain's life story, wound around his famous witticisms, covering his early years as a boy in Hannibal, his Riverboat Pilot days, his adventures in the Wild West, his world travels and his rise to be the most famous person in the world in the 19th century.  Plus, humorous stories told in the way only Twain could tell them.

Q: What do you hope participants learn from your presentation?

A:  Hopefully, it will answer these questions:

• Who was Mark Twain?
• Why did Earnest Hemingway say he was "the father of American Literature?"
• What did Twain teach us about racism, bigotry, ignorance and hypocrisy?
• Why is Twain's humor absolutely timeless?

Q: Where do you perform? Just in Illinois? Or around the country?

A: We are based in Branson, Mo., but we have taken the Mark Twain story to communities in 30 states.

Q: Could you describe Mark Twain?

A: Mark Twain was two people (Twain means two). There was Sam Clemens: the boy whose mischievous ways gave birth to Tom Sawyer, the young man who learned about all forms of human nature on the Mississippi River and brought them to life in dozens of books and the poor businessman who lost the fortune that his alter ego Mark Twain earned as a famous writer and lecturer.

This program will highlight the many contradictions between Sam Clemens, the man, and Mark Twain, the character.

Q: How long is the presentation?

A: Ninety minutes including a 10 minute intermission. Plus a Q&A segment following the program, which usually contains a few surprises!

Q: Do you provide lectures on other historical figures or just Mark Twain?

A: No other lectures, but I do perform a live musical program called, "Music Americana," a library program that highlights music performances by many of the performers who shaped American pop music, including Elvis, Neil Diamond, Dean Martin, Roy Orbison, Tom Jones and others.

Q: Could you describe your background? Education?

A: I have been a singer performing as Elvis since 1967.  I have researched Mark Twain through reading and watching everything I could find, including college lectures and symposiums.  In fact, our program was endorsed as a professor of Mark Twain Studies at St. Mary's College.