Huck Finn Musical comes to Sydney

The Tony Award-winning musical, Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is coming to Sydney’s south for a limited season of fun and pure musical joy.

The production, presented by Shire Music Theatre, opens on April 16 for a 2-week run at Sutherland Memorial Arts Theatre.

Based on Mark Twain’s beloved novel and propelled by an award-winning score from Roger Miller (the king of country music), this jaunty journey is a brilliantly theatrical celebration of pure Americana. Take Mark Twain’s great American novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, combine it with a fun mix of Cajun, gospel, blues and country music from the genius of Roger Miller and you have the musical Big River.

Twain’s timeless classic sweeps us down the mighty Mississippi as the irrepressible Huck Finn helps his friend Jim, a slave, escape to freedom at the mouth of the Ohio River. Their adventures along the way are hilarious, suspenseful and heart-warming, bringing to life all the much-loved characters from the novel, including Huck’s partner-in-crime, Tom Sawyer and their rowdy gang of pals, the Widow Douglas and her stern sister, Miss Watson, the uproarious King and Duke, Huck’s drunken father, the sinister Pap Finn, the lovely Mary Jane Wilkes and all her trusting family.

Winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Music and Best Book of a Musical, Big River opened on Broadway in 1985 and ran for over 1,000 performances.

Director Gavin Leahy says that, above all, Mark Twain was a peerless storyteller.

“In this production, we’re embracing his simple style of storytelling. The audience is told the story from the perspective of Huck Finn, as he guides the cast in creating  the characters, rhythms, sounds and essence of life in that world,” Leahy said.

“Big River is so much more than Huck’s adventures on the Mississippi, or about his path to maturity. This story is about a strong friendship that crossed lines – decades ahead of its time – and made Twain’s book one of the most read (and most banned) stories in American History.

“We know our audiences will enjoy the shows simplicity, its charm and its powerful messages of tolerance, courage and love.”

The cast features Andrew Fabris as Huck Finn, Chris Malliate as Tom Sawyer, Ed Mafi as Jim, Donna Wainohu and Malaea Mafi as Alice and her daughter, Jen Parbery as Mary Jane Wilkes plus Julian Batchelor, Murray Stanton, Dan Nicholls, Jaz Haynes, Kerstyn Walsh, Duncan McDonald, Paul Fabris, Stacey Wilson, Emma Etherington, Thomas Fredericks, Leslea Clements, Yvette Burrow, Joe Ahosivi and Ana Mafi.

The musical opens on April 16 at the Sutherland Memorial Arts Centre.

Bookings: (02) 8230 0668.