By Velma Southerland
Living Editor

The one-man show "FDR" featuring Ed Asner that was scheduled for the Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) on Thursday evening has been canceled.

Asner portrays President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in “FDR.”

An Associated Press story from Gary, Ind., stated:

“Ed Asner’s publicist says the 83-year-old actor, who has been touring the country performing a one-man show for more than three years, has been hospitalized with exhaustion.

“Publicist Charles Sherman tells The Associated Press that Asner was taken off stage at the Marquette Pavilion in Gary, Ind., on Tuesday night.”

Around noon Wednesday, Tom Bullard, executive director of NPAC, confirmed to The Greeneville Sun that Thursday night’s show has been canceled.

As soon as NPAC received the news, the center released the following on its website and by email to its members:

"Due to a medical emergency requiring hospitalization, Ed Asner is unable to travel for his scheduled performance on Thursday, March 14.

“We anticipate a rescheduled performance at a later date. Purchased tickets will be honored for that performance. If desired, ticket-holders may request a refund by calling the box office at (423) 638-1679.”

Other information from the AP story indicated that Asner was taken by ambulance to a Chicago-area hospital, where he was “resting comfortably” on Wednesday and was expecting to be released later that day.

Asner is best known for his roles in TV’s “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and its spinoff “Lou Grant.”