Leaving Hannibal

A play script imagining the life of Samuel Clemens (later to be know as American writer, Mark Twain) as a young adult, bored with his life in Hannibal, Missouri but unable to bring himself to leave. Sam and his friend Tom go to the town theatre for an evening of magic and mesmerism by Professor Barton, The Great Wizard of the West, who helps people recall their past dreams and hopes through hypnotic adventures. Through these visions, the audience shares in the past lives of the residents of Hannibal. Sam thinks it is all a hoax until Professor Barton invites Sam to prove he's a fake. Sam takes him on, and revisits a nightmare of his own that gives him the courage ot leave his fears and to choose the wild river of life. Cast of 9, or up to 13 with roles distributed. Setting and costumes a simple representations of the period (1850s). LEAVING HANNIBAL is a play script of the words for theatre performance as well as an interesting read as historical fiction.