Big River
Eugene O'Neill Theatre
Previews Began: April 5, 1985
Opening Night: April 25, 1985
Closing Night: September 20, 1987
Music: Roger Miller
Lyrics: Roger Miller
Book: William Hauptman
Though trying to stay “respectable,” Huckleberry Finn, runs into trouble when his father, Pap, returns to town. Huck is forced to fake his own death to escape and joins up with another on the run – Jim, a slave in the search for freedom. As they head down the river, they get sucked into scams involving two “aristocrats,” one of which lands Jim in chains once again and Huck and Tom Sawyer join together to free him.
Musical Numbers
ACT ONE
Overture………………………………………………..Orchestra
Do You Wanna Go to Heaven……………………Company
The Boys……………………………..Tom Sawyer, The Boys
Waitin’ for the Light to Shine………………………….Huck
Guv’ment………………………………………………….Pap Finn
Hand For the Hog……………………………….Tom Sawyer
I, Huckleberry, Me…………………………………………Huck
Muddy Water………………………………………….Jim, Huck
The Crossing………………………………………………..Slaves
River in the Rain……………………………………..Huck, Jim
When the Sun Goes Down in the South………….Duke,
Huck,
King,
Jim
ACT TWO
Ent’racte………………………………………………..Orchestra
The Royal Nonesuch……………………….Duke, Company
Worlds Apart…………………………………………..Jim, Huck
Arkansas/How Blest We Are…………………………..Fool,
Alice’s Daughter,
Company
You Oughta Be Here With Me…….Mary Jane Wilkes,
Susan Wilkes,
Joanna Wilkes
How Blest We Are (Reprise)…………………….Alice, Bill,
Alice’s Daughter
Leavin’s Not the Only Way to Go…………….Jim, Huck,
Mary Jane Wilkes
Waitin’ for the Light to Shine (Reprise)…………..Huck,
Slaves
Free At Last…………………………………………..Jim, Slaves
River in the Rain (Reprise)……………………….Huck, Jim
Muddy Water (Reprise)…………………………….Company
CAST
OPENING NIGHT
René Auberjonois The Duke
Evalyn Baron Miss Watson
Woman in Shanty
Harmonica Player
Reathel Bean Man on a Skiff
Lafe
Counselor Robinson
Hired Hand
Michael Brian Dick
Andy
Man in the Crowd
Hired Hand
Ensemble
Susan Browning Widow Douglas
Sally Phelps
Ralph Byers Judge Thatcher
Man on a Skiff
Harvey Wilkes
Silas Phelps
Patti Cohenour Mary Jane Wilkes
Gordon Connell Mark Twain
Doctor
Carol Dennis Alice
Ensemble
Aramis Estevez Simon
Ensemble
John Goodman Pap Finn
Sheriff Bell
Hired Hand
Ensemble
Bob Gunton The King
Peggy Harmon Susan Wilkes
Andi Henig Jo Harper
Joanna Wilkes
Elmore James Man on a Skiff
Ensemble
Daniel H. Jenkins Huckleberry Finn
Franz Jones Bill
Ensemble
Ron Richardson Jim
John Short Tom Sawyer
Jennifer Leigh Warren Alice’s Daughter
Ensemble
William Youmans Ben Rogers
Ensemble
Hank
A Young Fool
Swings: Peggy Harmon, George Merritt, Andrew Hill Newman
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