Emmy winner Richard Thomas has picked up the mantle of Mark Twain Tonight!.

The new production, which previewed in Tulsa, Oklahoma October 25, will play more than 45 cities across the 2025-2026 season. Thomas is the first and only actor currently authorized to perform the play, written and originally performed by the late Hal Holbrook. 

The solo show is filled to the brim with Twain's trademark wry humor and irreverence, bringing the legendary American writer back to life for audiences as a series of recreated jokes, speeches, and anecdotes. Mark Twain Tonight! is widely acknowledged as the play that birthed a flood of solo biographical shows throughout the latter half of the 20th century.

The work opened Off-Broadway at the 41st Theatre in 1959, and soon became a hit. Holbrook, who was a mere 34 at the time, then toured the show around the country and the world. It arrived on Broadway on March 22, 1966, where it played 85 performances. Holbrook won that year's Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. The following year, the show was taped for a CBS special. The show drew a reported 30 million viewers and won an Emmy Award for Holbrook. The production was revived on Broadway twice, in 1977 and 2005, both with Holbrook reprising his performance.

The creative team includes creative consultant Michael Wilson, scenic designer Brian Prather, costume designer Sam Fleming, lighting designer Anthony Pearson, sound designer Shannon Slaton, and hair and wig designer Luc Verschueren for Campbell Young Associates. The production team also includes production supervisor Erin Albrecht and company manager Ryan Parliament. Hannah Rosenthal is the executive producer.

For more information, visit TwainPlay.com.