The American Musical Theatre of San Jose will present the musical Big River Mar. 12-28 at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. Director-choreographer Michael Tapley directs.
Subtitled "The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn," William Hauptman & Roger Miller's musical adapts Mark Twain's novel about a young man on a raft down the Mississippi River. Helping Jim, a runaway slave, get to his family, Huck's also duped by two royally-named conmen, the King and the Duke, and smitten by the girl they plan to swindle. Songs include "Muddy Waters," "Worlds Apart" and "River in the Rain."
Stacey Robinson stars as Jim. Robinson made his Broadway debut in The Phantom of the Opera and played Joe in the Hal Prince revival of Showboat. Jamison Stern is Huckleberry Finn with David Ruprecht as the Duke, Lyle Kanouse as the King. Also in the cast are Neil Flint Worden (Mark Twain), Kenna Hunt (Widow Douglas), Lucinda Hitchcock Cone (Miss Watson) and Michael Temlin (Judge Thatcher).
Tickets for Big River are $50-$35 and available by calling the box office at 1-888-455-SHOW. The American Musical Theatre of San Jose is located on the web at http://www.amtsj.org.
-- By Christine Ehren and David Lefkowitz