Photo Caption: Ron Jewell as Samuel Clemens alter ego, Mark Twain.

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Sept. 4, 2014) - - - Columbia State Community College welcomes Ron Jewell as Samuel Clemens in "Mark Twain at Large," Thursday, Sept. 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the Ledbetter Auditorium. The one-man show characterizes the alter ego of the American author and humorist.

Donning a white suit, Jewell assumes the likeness of Clemens and channels Twain on a stormy night as the alter ego races in from thunderous rain. He invites the audience into his private study for an intimate face to face conversation filled with stories and anecdotes taken directly from Twain's writings.

Since 1974, Jewell has performed more than 2,000 theatrical presentations of "Mark Twain at Large," which has been described as personable and touching.

Having a long and varied career, Jewell settled in Bartlett in 1994 to develop and open the Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center where he served as director. He was also named Memphis Magazine's Top 100 Who's Who in Memphis in 2003, 2004 and 2013.

Jewell is a graduate of Belmont University, and has worked in dinner theater, summer stock and film. He has regularly performed in trade and industrial shows both in and out of the Twain persona and has taught in various theater and communication programs.

The Ledbetter Auditorium is in the Frank G. Clement Building on the Columbia Campus, located at 1665 Hampshire Pike. The event is free and open to the public.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.

Tennessee's Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.