I've been thinking about adding an entry on Mark Twain's attempts at playwriting to my revision of MARK TWAIN A TO Z and was pleased to rediscover that Carl Dolmetsch has much to say on this subject in "OUR FAMOUS GUEST": MARK TWAIN IN VIENNA (1992). Of particular interest is Dolmetsch's long description of Twain's humorous dramatization of the art-hoax story "Is He Living or Is He Dead?," which he retitled IS HE DEAD? in the dramatized version. What most interests me about Dolmetsch's remarks is his suggestion that the play "is quite possibly stageworthy today as a museum piece and curiosity for a university or other noncommercial theater."

Does anyone know if IS HE DEAD? has ever been staged anywhere ("produced" may be too grand a word)? For that matter, does anyone know if anyone other than Dolmetsch has written about the play? A manuscript of the play has been in the Mark Twain Papers since Paine's time, so its existence is not exactly a new discovery. (Incidentally, Paine discusses the play in chapter 205 of his biography of Mark Twain, and it's mentioned in MARK TWAIN'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH HENRY HUTTLESTON ROGERS.)

While I'm at it, I should also ask if anyone knows if SIMON WHEELER has ever been staged anywhere? If we have any thespians in our midst, perhaps we should get up a production of one of these plays for the next Elmira conference. I'll start the ball rolling by volunteering to serve as theater critic. Now, all that's needed is a producer, director, cast, and crew. A backer would be useful, too.