Rollin’ on ‘Big River’ Huck Finn-based musical to be reprised at the Grand

Big River,” the rollicking musical adaptation of Mark Twain’s story of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” that captivated audiences last spring, will roll back into The Grand Auditorium in Ellsworth this weekend.

And if you missed the spring performance, you’ll want to call now for tickets, because word has gotten around that this is a show that should not be missed.

The summer performance, which runs this weekend, is the first time The Grand has reprised one of its annual spring musicals, and it’s back because audiences wanted it back, according to music director Robert Bahr, who is also the executive director at The Grand.

“It’s really back by popular demand,” Bahr said. “When we did the show in the spring, the response from the public was that this specific show was one of the finest performances they’d seen on The Grand stage. They said it would be wonderful if their friends and neighbors who are not here in the winter could have the opportunity to see it.”

Bahr said he expects that the summer reprise will become a regular feature at The Grand.

“Big River,” with the book by William Hauptman and music and lyrics by Roger Miller, tells the story of Huck’s trip down the Mississippi River, starting out alone on his raft and then joined by his friend, the runaway slave, Jim. Along the way they meet a diverse collection of humanity, representing some of the best and worst of human characteristics.

“It’s a wholesome family show about a boy coming of age,” Bahr said. “It’s fun. It does have some dark moments, but mostly, it’s just fun.”

Initially, The Grand did not plan to do a summer show, and the cast members have had to rearrange schedules in order to keep the show intact. But they’ve all worked hard to make this happen, Bahr said, and the entire cast will be back for the summer performance.

The show features Brian Shepard of Bar Harbor as Huck, Jeffrey Ferrell of Bucksport as Jim, Rob Bauer of Blue Hill as Huck’s father, “Pap,” and Erik Torbeck of Bar Harbor as Huck’s friend, Tom Sawyer. Eric Henry of Southwest Harbor and Anthony Pizzuto of Blue Hill return as the two conniving and not-quite-lovable rapscallions The King and Duke Bridgewater, and Nancy Dymond of Bangor returns to perform the show-stopping gospel number that some have said was alone worth the price of admission.

“I saw it every night and it gave me the shivers,” Bahr said. “It’s not just about hitting the notes, it’s about selling the song; selling the story.”

That’s one of the things that made the show so popular, Bahr said, the ability of the cast members, and particularly the leads, to tell the story.

“For example, Huck’s ability to talk directly to the audience and then peel back and do a scene, that helped to pull the audience into the scene,” he said.

Those “asides” help to make “Big River” an intimate show, as does the set, designed by artistic director Ken Stack and built by Joe Lewis and his crew, which projects the actors out into the audience. The pit orchestra also adds to that flavor, according to Bahr.

“The pit orchestra is not a big orchestra; it’s almost an Appalachian bluegrass ensemble,” he said. “That gives it a sense of intimacy.”

In a musical, of course, the music is the thing, and here “Big River” and its cast stand out.

The music is accessible, the tunes pleasant and the singers, both leads and chorus, wrap their voices around the songs in a way that makes them familiar and hummable. The leads are aided by a new microphone and sound system designed by Gaston Nichols and Phil Norris.

“We miked the soloists, another first for the theater, and that gave them the opportunity to not worry about belting their lines out,” Bahr said. “That expanded their dynamic range.”

The mikes also gave director Stack more freedom in placing actors on the stage, Bahr said. They could be anywhere onstage, even with their backs to the audience, and still be heard.

The summer production also featured period costumes designed by Linda Grindle, choreography by Judy Brookings, hairstyles by Shay Cobb and lighting by Kevin Staples.

“Big River” and The Grand’s production last fall of “1776” are both relatively modern shows compared with Broadway classics such as “South Pacific” and “My Fair Lady.” They were chosen for production particularly for their accessibility to younger audiences. The Grand took both productions into local schools under the auspices its Performing Arts for Children program, which also brings in a variety of programming for youngsters. Last year was the first year The Grand performed in the schools.

“We bring in acts from Maine, from around the country and around the world,” Bahr said, “but they rarely see their friends, their neighbors or their schoolmates onstage. This might also get them thinking that someday they might not only be observers but participants in the arts.”

The Grand plans to continue that process with a production of “A Chorus Line” this fall and, in the spring, “The Scarlet Pimpernel.”

Another first for this summer will be a full-color souvenir program for “Big River” that will be available for purchase in addition to the regular free program. The program will feature biographies of the lead actors, lots of photographs from the show, and a bit of history about Samuel Clemens and how he became known as Mark Twain.

“Big River” opens at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, with performances at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 24 and 25, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26. For more information and tickets, call The Grand box office at 667-9500.