The original Broadway production of Big River, which is based on Mark Twain's, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, opened in 1985 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. It won seven 1985 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Best Director of a Musical, Best Book, Best Score, Best Scenic Design, and Best Lighting Design. The show ran for a total of 1,005 performances on Broadway.
The music and lyrics are by Roger Miller. Miller was born in Texas in 1932 and grew up in Oklahoma. He will forever be remembered for such songs as Dang Me, King of the Road and Chug-a-lug. With more than thirty albums to his credit, Big River was his only theatrical score, for which he won the Drama Desk and Tony Awards. Miller died in 1992.
The Tony Award winning book, Big River, was written by William Hauptmann who was also born in Texas and attended the Yale School of Drama. Some of his other well known plays included Heat, Domino Courts/Comanche Cafe and Gillette.
The Barnstormers jump into their 75th year with this dazzling musical, propelled by the jazzy country tempo of Roger Miller. The action takes place sometime in the late 1840's. Twain's timeless classic sweeps us down the mighty Mississippi as the irrepressible Huck Finn (played by Luke Hawkins) helps his slave friend, Jim, (played by Horace Smith lll) escape to freedom at the mouth of the Ohio River. They'll hold you in suspense as their hilarious and heartwarming adventures along the way bring your favorite characters to life. The Widow Douglas (played by Vinnette Cotter) and her stern sister, Miss Watson (played by Penny Percell) will tickle your fancy while the uproarious King (played by John Schnatterly) and Duke, (played by Jim Burkholder) will make you wonder just how harmless they really are. Huck's partner in crime, Tom Sawyer, (played by Jesse Beecher) and their unruly gang of pals will keep you on your toes while Huck's sinister father, Pap Finn (played by Jim Sears) stays in a perpetual drunken state. The lovely Mary Jane Wilkes (played by Amanda Baker) and her family really put trust to the test making this play a brilliant theatrical production of pure Americana.
You will be spellbound by some of the talented vocal work of the Barnstormers cast. In act one you will hear such wonders as "Waiting for the Light to Shine", sung by Huck; "Guv'ment" sung by Pap; and "Hand for the Hog" sung by Tom. Act two features some of the female cast of characters with delights such as "How Blest We Are" sung by Alice's Daughter and the Company; "You Ought to Be Here With Me" sung by Mary Jane, Susan and Joanna; and "Leaving's Not the Only Way to Go" sung by Mary Jane, Jim and Huck.
This Barnstormers production starts Tuesday July 5th and runs through Saturday July 9th with curtain at 8PM each evening. There will also be a 3PM matinee available on Saturday. It is brilliantly directed and choreographed by Bob Shea, costumes by Sandra King, set design by Audra Aver, with Jonathan Miller as Stage Manager. Ticket prices for The Barnstormers are $25 for orchestra, $20 for balcony seats, and $12 for matinees. Regular theatergoers can enjoy savings on their season with scrip or season tickets, 8 for the price of 7. You can reserve your tickets by calling the box office at (603) 323-8500. Big River is generously sponsored by The Silver Lake Home Center. For more information on this or other plays of the season go to www.barnstormerstheatre.com.
For more infomation:
Donna Woodward
207 935-3959
