ABOVE GROUND: A “big, fat” woodchuck crossing the highway Dec.
28 surprised the heck out of Alice Elliott of Smethport. “In my 87
years,” she told us, “it was the first time she had seen a
groundhog out and about in December.” The woodchuck was crossing
the road between East Smethport and Crosby.

MARK TWAIN: As part of this year’s One Book Bradford season,
Mark Twain will be visiting Bradford next Saturday. Well, sort
of…  

Mike Randall, probably better known as the meteorologist for
WKBW-Channel 7, Buffalo, will portray the American author and
humorist Mark Twain at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 9 at the Bromeley Family
Theater at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

This performance is part of the 2010 One Book Bradford season.
One Book Bradford is a community-wide reading initiative and is a
compilation of members of the Friends of the Bradford Area Public
Library, the Friends of the Hanley Library and members of 11 local
book groups.

This year’s selection is “Becky: The Life and Loves of Becky
Thatcher” by Lenore Hart. In this story, Hart picks up where Mark
Twain has left off. Lenore takes Becky through adulthood and sets
the record straight and giving us her inside story.

In light of the obvious connection between Lenore Hart and Mark
Twain, the One Book Bradford committee contacted Randall to see if
he would bring his version of Mark Twain to Bradford. Randall, an
accomplished actor, has been doing this one-man show since
1972.

Glowing reviews of Randall’s performance state that it’s a
“breathtaking recreation” of Twain. Others say Randall’s
performance is “captivating” and “should not be missed.”

As such, the One Book Bradford committee is extremely excited
about Randall’s performance and hopes all of Bradford and the
surrounding areas will come to see this one-of-a-kind
performance.

A word of caution – this performance is not intended to be
viewed by anyone under the age of 14.

And a final “local angle” for RTS readers. As some of you may
know, Hart is married to Bradford’s own David Poyer.

Tickets are available through the Bradford Creative and
Performing Arts Center office or from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the
Bradford Area Public Library. Randall’s performance is sponsored by
American Refining Group and CNB Bank.