Big River will keep the pace up on Civic Theatre stage

The musical "Big River" presented New Bern Civic Theatre with some big challenges.

The production, which opens with a Nov. 6 preview night, is based on Mark Twain's American classic, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

Director Alan Berger said Civic Theatre's technical staff and diverse cast have been equal to the task - keeping the pace moving to remain true to Twain's tale of restless Hunk Finn helping his slave friend Jim escape to freedom.

The challenges include direct dialogue from the 1885 book, multiple sets and lighting, along with a cast of 18 actors playing 27 roles.

"One of the challenges is trying to keep the pace and rhythm going in a play context with some of the dialogue that really plays better in a book," said Berger.

He rates the technical aspects of the two-act play as an 8 1/2 on a 10-scale, with 20 scene changes.

"They are all done in light, so it keeps the play moving," he said. "There are no extended blackouts where the crew comes on and moves a great deal of stuff around and the orchestra plays to cover it and then the lights come up again. It's all done and the show keeps moving with really no time out for scene changes."

There is only one blackout, which comes at the end of the first act.

The cast includes a lot of youngsters, age 14 and up, along with a balancing group of veteran seniors.

The two lead performers are 19-year-old Derek Jordan as Huck and 17-year-old Aaron Sowers as Jim.

"These are very demanding roles, but for their age, they are extremely experienced actors," Berger said. Jordan has been performing on the Civic stage since he was a youngster.

Sowers lives in Maysville, requiring a travel commitment for rehearsals.

"But, he's a dedicated guy and so are his parents for bringing him," said Berger. "On the other end of the spectrum, we've got folks who are 64 and over. It's a real mix in terms of age with the cast, which really does complement the story very well."

Some of the veteran Civic performers include Jim Wilson as "The King" and Dick Donnelly as "The Duke."

The story follows the adventures of Huck and Jim along the Mississippi River as they make their way toward Jim's freedom. Anyone who has read the book will quickly recognize characters such as the Widow Douglas and her stern sister, Miss Watson; King and Duke, who may or may not be as harmless as they seem; and Huck's best pal in crime, Tom Sawyer, played by Adam Griffin.

Then there is Huck and Tom's rowdy gang of pals, Huck's drunken father, the sinister Pap Finn, the lovely Mary Jane Wilkes, and her trusting family.

"Big River" stays true to the story as Twain wrote it, embellishing a folksy style of storytelling with music by Roger Miller. This was Miller's only Broadway musical, but he is famous for his popular folk/bluegrass style of songwriting that includes "King of the Road," "England Swings" and "You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Heard."

"Big River" on Broadway was the recipient of seven Tony awards in 1985.

Jimmy Merritt is the musical director, with a six-person musical ensemble that replicates the original Broadway orchestrations.

Berger is a veteran Civic stage leader, who last directed "Mornings at Seven." He is assisted by producer Bob Armstrong, with set design by Joey Infinito, lighting by former Civic Theatre director Tom Landen, and costumes by Leigh Margaret Manning. Leo Minervini, technical director, Eileen Shalhoub, assistant director and Ingrid Pierson, production stage manager, round out the staff.