Q&A: Author, musician, lyricist Rick Neumayer

Describing Rick Neumayer can be difficult.

The retired Jeffersonville High School teacher is an author, musician and lyricist. The admitted history buff once taught an experimental course in which he introduced students to the futuristic world of science fiction. Once an activist — he was once arrested for trespassing while protesting during the construction of what was to have been the Marble Hill nuclear power plant in Jefferson County, just north of New Washington — he is an avid baseball fan and active fantasy baseball-league participant. A liberal youth of the ‘60s and ‘70s, the 59-year-old Neumayer admits he’s become more conservative, if only slightly so, with age.

For the past three years, the Louisvillian has played a key role in Jeffersonville’s RiverStage, co-writing original musicals “David and Bathsheba," “Little Bear of the Miami: The Frances Slocum Story” and now “Mark Twain on the River," produced by Spirit Over the Water Productions and performed tonight, tomorrow and next weekend at the floating amphitheater.

As part of its weekly Q&A; series, Neumayer recently sat down with The Evening News and The Tribune to discuss his life’s work, including “Mark Twain on the River," which he co-wrote with Bill Corcoran.

QUESTION: Where did you get the idea for “Mark Twain on the River"?

RICK NEUMAYER: Actually, it was Bill Corcoran’s idea. We discussed various things that we might do for a change. We did a Biblical story the first year and story of the young woman who was raised by the Indians last year. We were trying to figure out something that would have broad appeal, and Bill had done a show years ago, just a short, half-hour show about Mark Twain, and so, that’s where it came from, that’s the genesis of it. ‘Mark Twain on the River’ seemed a perfect fit for RiverStage.

Q: Why Twain, as opposed to someone else?

NEUMAYER: “Because he’s the greatest American author, of course. As (Ernest) Hemingway said, all of American literature comes, in one form or another, from Mark Twain and ‘Huckleberry Finn.’ If there weren’t already a musical called ‘Big River’ about Huckleberry Finn, we might have done that. Instead, we were forced to rely on our own creativity.”

Q: You’ve written at least three plays, or co-authored three plays, you’re working on a novel and, I believe, have also written several short stories. In general, where do the ideas come from?

NEUMAYER: “Wow. I wish I knew. Just from life, I guess, and from inspiration from reading. You know, that’s an old, old question, Larry. The muse is the way writers always try to explain where that comes from, like there’s a little god on your shoulder.”