First Stage Finds the Meaning of Freedom in 'Big River'

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Photo Credit: Paul Ruffolo

When Mark Twain published The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1885, America was a different place, but in some ways it has not changed all that much. Twain used the Mississippi River as a metaphor for life’s journey—one that not only his characters Jim and Huck take, but which all of us are taking as well.

First Stage’s production of Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn transforms the stage into the Mississippi River, the waterway Huck and Jim travel by raft in search of freedom. Jim (an African American man born into slavery but who always felt he was born free) and Huck (an orphan free to loaf) are unlikely travel companions. Their adventures and the lessons Huck learns seeing the world through Jim’s eyes are a metaphor for the transformations we are all capable of.

Early on, Jim reads Huck’s palm and predicts he will experience both considerable trouble and joy. Jim’s plan is a clear one: flee to freedom in the North and earn enough money to buy the freedom of his mother and sister.

Luke Brotherhood’s Huck is an exuberant, immature colt who, while rambunctious, exhibits a trace of self-awareness that will prove valuable. DiMonte Henning’s sagacious Jim is stoic and, most important, forgiving. With a group of young performers portraying the river itself and other ensemble actors doubling on speaking roles and musical instrumentation (guitar, banjo, fiddle, harmonica and washboard), the performance exhibits an earthy Americana vibe. The original songs for the show were written by the late Roger Miller, best known for the country pop hit “King of the Road.”

Through April 14 at the Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater, 123 E. State St. For tickets, visit firststage.org or call 414-286-4936.