Photo Flash: First Look at Musical Theater Heritage's BIG RIVER

MTH (your source for all things Musical Theater in Kansas City) will present 20 performances of BIG RIVER, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, winner of 7 Tony Awards in 1985 including Best Musical and Best Original Score by Roger Miller(King of the Road). This unjustly forgotten masterpiece stands as a dazzling, heartwarming slice of musical Americana and the final crowning achievement in one of country music's most celebrated careers. Miller's music is a perfect fit toMark Twain's classic American story of Huckleberry Finn, adapted for the musical byWilliam Hauptman.

BIG RIVER's musical score sounds distinctly Country & Western yet unmistakably Broadway, thanks to the genius of Roger Miller who had never seen a musical before; taking on the task of writing BIG RIVER through the invitation of Rocco & Heidi Landesman, and the Jujamcyn Theater Company.

Popular songs from the show include: Waitin' For The Light to Shine, River In The Rain, Arkansas, Worlds Apart and Free At Last.

BIG RIVER features local favorites Kip Niven, as Pap Finn & Justin McCoy, as Jim. New York actor, Devon Norris will be Huck Finn. Sarah Crawford will direct the production; pianist Jeremy Watson will lead the 7-piece country band.

Performances are Thursdays thru Sundays, June 2 - 26 at the MTH Theater at Crown Center; that's on the third floor of the Crown Center Shops.

For tickets call the MTH Box Office at (816) 221-6987. For more information and on-line tickets visit Musical Theater Heritage at www.mthkc.com.

Photo Credit: Tim Scott

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