Rockton IL
11-04-2021 3:01am

Hononegah Theater goes back to the beginning with The Diary of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain

Elizabeth Thor as Eve expresses her feelings as the world's first woman in Hononegah's production of Mark Twain's The Diary of Adam and Eve, which opens Friday night, Nov. 5, 2021.

Hononegah Community High School presents three live performances of The Diary of Adam and Eve, a sweet, gently humorous telling of the traditional story of humanity's "first couple." It comes from the pen of one of America's greatest writers, Mark Twain, and adapted for the stage by Marc Bucci - perfect for the entire family.

Tickets are on sale for Friday, November 5, Saturday, November 6 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 7 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hononegah Performing Arts Center. The price is $8 for adults, $6 for students K-12, under 5 are free.

Matt Mazur, artistic director, says, "Both live theater and Eden were greatly missed when gone, but now at Hononegah Community High School, live theater is back and you have the opportunity to come show your appreciation and support. Let’s give the actors a live audience to play to, and show them that we support their artistic endeavors!"

At the start of the play, Eve says, "I feel exactly like... an experiment!" and since future historians may be interested in how the experiment turned out, she keeps a diary.

Adam keeps a diary too, grumbling, "This new creature with long hair is a good deal in the way."

So begins the first battle of the sexes. At Hononegah, the roles are played by Aiden Van Fleet as Adam, Elizabeth Thor as Eve, Katie A Bachman as Tiger, Kirra Fluegel as Lamb, and lastly but significantly, Katlynne Hammonds as Snake.

Tickets may be purchased at the box office, November 1, 2, and 4 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. on and one hour before each performance. A maximum of 400 tickets per performance will be available, so get your tickets early. Tickets may also be purchased through the Hononegah Community High School website. For more information, call 815-624-5006.

Mazur asks that all attending keep in mind that social distancing as a family should be observed. Audience members will be required to wear masks while on HCHS campus, and ticket sales and seating arrangements will follow social distance guidelines.

Mark Bucci, who adapted Mark Twain's Adam and Eve stories for the stage, was best known as a composer. He attended the Julliard School and was awarded two Guggenheim Fellowships. He wrote film scores, Broadway musical revues, and the opera Tale for a Deaf Ear. But he also adapted several classic stories into one-act plays including O. Henry's The Cop and the Anthem, Willa Cather's Paul's Case, and Mark Twain's The Diary of Adam and Eve.

Mark Twain's story "Extracts from Adam's Diary: Translated from the Original Ms." was first published in 1893, while "Eve's Diary" was published in 1905. Together they are an homage of love from Mark Twain to his wife Livy, particularly "Eve's Diary" which was written just after her death. It ends with Adam saying, "Wheresoever she was, there was Eden."

Click or tap on the image below to view a gallery of photos from student photographer Indigo Sterud.

More News from Rockton
Elizabeth Thor as Eve in Hononegah Community High School's live production of The Diary of Adam and Eve. Aiden Van Fleet as Adam busies himself nearby.
Elizabeth Thor as Eve expresses her feelings as the world's first woman in Hononegah's production of Mark Twain's The Diary of Adam and Eve, which opens Friday night, Nov. 5, 2021.
Mark Twain, author of the Diaries of Adam and Eve, also wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, ten other novels, and dozens of humorous stories.
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