Theatre of Gadsden's 'Big River' will bring laughs, lessons to Ritz

Often the best performances are those that entertain an audience while also teaching a moral or lesson at the same time.

Next weekend, the Theatre of Gadsden will stage such an experience at the Ritz Theatre in Alabama City.

“Big River” is the show; Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is the story.

The Tony Award-winning 1985 musical, with the book by William Hauptman, features plenty of rollicking countries and bluegrass-style music by Roger Miller as it follows the story of Huck Finn as presented in Twain’s novel.

Audiences will find plenty of similarities in the show when compared to the novel, but there are differences, too, and some illustrations that help bring the novel to life on stage.

“I was a big Mark Twain fan growing up, and I read both Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn,” said Dave Ritschard, who plays the role of Huck. “I think the story is enhanced by the musical. The book is very Huck-centric, and so is the musical, but the music brings all the other characters to life in a much more tangible way.”

During the winding tale on the Mississippi River, the audience also gets to meet Huck’s friends, including Tom Sawyer and Jim, a slave.

In learning about Jim, the theme of slavery is illustrated, which may be tough for audiences to see and hear. However, there are past and present lessons to be learned.  

“Slavery, prejudice, and injustice are prevalent in this story,” Director Mike Beecham said about “Big River.” “I think it’s very important that people realize and recognize our history of race relations and how far we still need to go.”

Part of the stage action includes people being portrayed as slaves, and moments of strong language, including racial epithets. “It’s very uncomfortable to hear, but it’s very appropriate for the time (and place) in which the show is set,” Beecham said.

Ritschard agrees. “Those who forget history are bound to repeat it,” he said. “As uncomfortable as it is, slavery is a large part of our nation’s past. We cannot forget the atrocities that happened. One of my biggest goals for a number of parts in the show is to make people uncomfortable with the hard truths presented.”

Through those hard truths, the characters develop and grow throughout the musical. The main characters’ growth has shaped the actors themselves in their preparation for the roles, and themes from an 1884 novel have a lot in common with struggles still faced today.

Miller’s varied music plays a large part in bringing those themes home. While some songs are happy, fun, and incredibly catchy, others are filled with deeper meaning.

“My favorite song is probably ‘Worlds Apart.’ It shows how we all can experience the world in entirely different ways,” said John Christopher Adams, who plays Jim. “It’s so poignant now because there is so much going on, and so much division, I think we have lost the ability to see that our experience may not be someone else’s.”

During “Worlds Apart,” Ritschard said, “Huck begins to realize the humanity and equality of Jim. It happens very subtly throughout the musical and reaches a crescendo during (this song).”

“My other favorite (song) would have to be ‘Crossing Over,’” Adams said. “The lyrics show both a profound hope in going home to be with Christ, as well as showing that death was a far cry better than the lives slaves were living. The faith that sustained slaves had to be great.”

Both Ritschard and Adams hope audiences leave entertained yet aware and mindful of the story they see onstage.

“I want the audiences to walk away thankful for how far we have come as a country from where we were, but also realize there is much work to be done,” Ritschard said. “People do not derive their worth from how much they have or what color their skin is, but from the fact that they are created in the image of God.

“Humans are inherently valuable, and recognizing the humanity and infinite worth of those who are different from us or who think differently from us is the only way forward as a nation,” he said.

Adams agrees. “One step beyond our prejudices and biases, there is humanity,” he said. “It’s the great equalizer if only we would see it in one another.”

Big River showtimes are 7 p.m. July 15-16 and 22-23, and 2 p.m. July 23-24. All shows are at the historic Ritz Theatre, 310 Wall St.

There will be no show on July 17; however, there are two shows on July 23.

Admission is $20 for adults, $18 for students/seniors/military, and $15 each for groups of 10 or more. All seating is reserved seating.

Tickets are available at www.theatreofgadsden.org, or by calling 256-547-SHOW (7469).

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Theatre of Gadsden's 'Big River' to bring laughs, and lessons to Ritz