|
|
 |
|
|
‘Big River’ Re-telling of ‘Huck Finn’ opens Nov. 12
Heather Mays - Thu, Nov, 5, 2009
More than 60 Bearden High School students will participate in a production of the musical “Big River,” a re-telling of the classic Mark Twain novel “Huckleberry Finn.”
In the story, Huck Finn frees a slave, Jim, in a time of prejudice and hate.
“It’s a beautiful story of friendship and injustice and a young boy’s determination to do what he thinks is right,” Leann Dickson, BHS drama director said.
“One of the most beautiful songs is called ‘Worlds Apart.’
“They look at each other, and the lyrics are, ‘I see the same stars through brown eyes that you see through blue, but we’re worlds apart,’” she added.
“The most important part of [Huck’s] personality is the searching I think I’m doing throughout the whole show,” Taylor Kelley, who plays Huck, said.
“I’m really rebellious … I know there’s something more than I’ve been living, and [Huck wants to] learn about the rights and the wrongs [of his actions],” he added.
Kelley said it was difficult to play Huck because the character is so young.
“I have to forget things that I as a person know to be able to play it truly innocently,” Kelley said.
Dominic Gillette, who plays Jim, said the most important quality of the character was his humility.
“He’s really humble, and he has to change from being a regular slave to trusting white people and opening up to Huck,” Gillette said.
“In the end, he is at his full potential at being free.
“The thickness of his character is the hardest [thing to play],” he added.
Conner Harville and Jacob Coffin play the King and the Duke, respectively, two con men who meet Huck and Jim.
“The most difficult thing to play is, first of all, I have to act like someone who continually cons,” Harville said.
“You have to act as if you’re acting as if you’re acting,” he added with a laugh.
Coffin agreed, describing the acting process as recognizing layers.
“The hardest part of being Duke is that he’s so over the top with everything he does. He’s so emotional, even with his hand gestures,” Coffin said.
“Sometimes that’s hard to portray to the audience, because you don’t want to seem like you’re over-acting, but that’s what you need to do,” he added.
Colt Free, who plays Pap Finn, said the most difficult thing he had to play was Pap Finn’s cruelty and abusiveness, as well as his drunkenness.
“I’m really mean to him, but I also feel like there’s something in me that likes [Huck], because I let him live with me,” Free said.
“He’s still my son,” he added.
The musical cast includes 40 actors and 27 student technicians.
“The actors in the show are really great,” Gillette said.
“They audition or interview to get in, and it’s very competitive,” Dickson said.
Students may find themselves in charge of sets, sound, lighting, publicity or props.
“It’s really awesome training for them, just in thinking and solving problems. It’s way different than most classroom situations,” Dickson said.
Dickson said she was thankful to parents for their help building sets and preparing costumes for the production.
“It’s a cool multi-generational thing that you don’t normally see in education,” Dickson said.
“That’s a real special thing we have here,” she added.
“Big River” was written by William Hauptman with music by Roger Miller. The musical won seven Tony Awards.
Showings will be at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12 and Saturday, Nov. 14, and at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 15.
All showings will be held in Bearden High School’s auditorium. Tickets are $8.
|
|
|
