Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1985), a musical by William Hauptman (book), Roger Miller (music, lyrics). [ Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 1,005 perf.; Tony Award.] Huck (Daniel H. Jenkins) and a runaway slave, Jim (Ron Richardson), sail the Mississippi on their raft, meeting such figures as the King (Bob Gunton), the Duke (Rene Auberjonois), and Tom Sawyer (John Short), much as they do in Mark Twain's classic. Notable songs: River in the Rain; Waiting for the Light to Shine; Muddy Water; World's Apart. Coming at the end of a season filled with musical disappointments and disasters, the show received a warmer welcome than it might have otherwise. But it drew family audiences and the tuneful show remains popular in stock and in schools. The show returned to Broadway in 2003 in a unique revival that utilized both speaking and deaf actors.