Hank Fincken: A National Theatre Company of One

With my performances, you are going to get accurate, thoughtful History in which the audience always plays a role. The interaction is often the highlight of the performance because I improvise, basing my answers on Edison's (or whichever historical character) life and times. Who we are is when we are, so I try my best to never push my 21st century values on their time or place.

There's humor too. Complex History need not be dry and dull.

When possible, I use the historical person's own words. If not, I know the man well enough that I can make an approximation. I do not deliberately invent History; I just make it entertaining.

Biography: Hank Fincken
A National Theatre Company Of One

For 25 years, Hank Fincken has performed his 8 original one-man plays throughout the USA, Spain, and South America. He has published 20 plays and stories, dozens of essays, and one book: Three Midwest History Plays And Then Some.

He was awarded the title Master Artist by the Indiana Arts Commission, Outstanding Performer by the Indiana Theatre Association, and has received six national Pinnacle Awards for his teaching of the arts and history through video conferencing.

Hank was in a Hollywood film which featured Thomas Edison, wrote an original play for the city of Defiance Ohio about a young man who lived with the Shawnee in 1793, performed as Prosecutor Richard Crowley in Susan B. Anthony’s trial in Adams, Massachusetts (her birthplace), and performed at the New York Chautauqua Institution as Ford and Edison.

Hank performs in schools, libraries, and colleges around the country. For many years, Hank has traveled the Chautauqua Circuit. For example, he has already been booked by Oklahoma Chautauqua to perform for 4 weeks as Francisco Pizarro.

In the summer of 2016, the Tandana Foundation invited Hank to teach Theatre to native children in the Andes of Ecuador. Besides teaching, he wrote an original play based on Inca legends and produced it in the town of Otavalo. He wrote his second play in Spanish the summer of 2017, once again in Ecuador. Next year, he will be teaching teachers how to use theatre to make History come alive—in Spanish.

He also performed as Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Christopher Columbus at TechFest in Dayton for the 15th year in a row. The emphasis there is always Steam. Hank makes it Steam.

Since I do a number of plays based on historical characters, there are different requirements for each presentation. Don't worry. The tech stuff is not complicated because everything has to fit in my CRV. I would send you what I need way in advance. I will also arrive early for tech check.

Let me just add: I adapt my presentation to your place and your needs. That is why I can do a short presentation or a longer one.