'Big River' kicks off CST season
<p>Max Demers, right, and Jim Terence share the stage in the lead roles of Huckleberry Finn and Jim in the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre production of "Big River" which opens Thursday at North Idaho College.</p>
<p>The Mark Twain novel "Huckleberry Finn" is retold on stage in the production of "Big River" highlighting the troubles Huck Finn finds when he fakes his own death to escape problems at home and joins up with another Jim, a slave in the search for freedom, as they head down the river.</p>
Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre kicks off its 46th season next week with "Big River" at the Schuler Performing Arts Center, on the North Idaho College campus.
The show opens June 13 and is based on the 1884 novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain. Tom Sawyer, The Duke, The King and all the other characters from Twain's masterpiece come to life as Huck Finn and Jim, the runaway slave, raft their way down the "Big Muddy" - the mighty Mississippi River. With a musical score reminiscent of the music of pre-slavery days in Missouri, this show is geared toward the entire family.
"Big River" features music and lyrics by Roger Miller (King of the Road) in the bluegrass and country styles in keeping with the setting of the novel. William Hauptman wrote the book and the Broadway production ran for more than 1,000 performances between 1985-1987. Big River received Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score.
CST's "Big River" cast consists of professional local, regional and national talent. Max Demers stars as Huck Finn. Demers, a New York actor, was last seen at Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre in "Ring of Fire" and "Camelot." Michael Weaver returns to CST as Pap Finn. Weaver is a Seattle resident. Also coming from Seattle, Terence Kelley plays Jim.
Local talent includes, Darcy Wright (who now lives in New York, last seen at CST in "Ring of Fire" and "Camelot"), Patrick Treadway ("The King"), Tamara Schupman ("Miss Watson"), Bill Rhodes ("Judge Thatcher") and Max Mendez ("Music Director"). Audiences will be tapping their toes to songs such as Muddy Water and Worlds Apart while amazed by the life-sized raft that floats across the Schuler Performing Arts Center stage.
Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre is proud to collaborate with Seattle-based Village Theatre on the set of "Big River." Typically, CST designs and builds their own sets. But last fall Village Theatre was closing their "Big River" production and Michael McGiveney, Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre's Technical Director purchased and coordinated the move of the $60,000 set (which is three times more than CST's entire season set budget) to North Idaho. Village sold the set to CST, for under $5,000. Unfortunately, some pieces of the set were too large for our stage, so McGiveney had to build some replacement pieces.
"Big River" runs June 13, 14 and 15, 7:30 p.m.; June 16, 2 p.m.; June 20-22, 7:30 p.m. and June 22, 2 p.m. at the Schuler Performing Arts Center on the campus of North Idaho College. Tickets run $25 to $40 and can be purchased at the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre box office (1000 Garden Ave., Coeur d'Alene), by phone (208) 769-7780 or online at www.cdasummertheatre.com.
Established in 1967, Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre is the Inland Northwest's only professional musical theater, and one of the premier arts entertainment attractions in the region. CST was listed in the "Top 10 Great Places to See the Lights Off Broadway" by USA Today (2005). It was recently voted "Best Arts Organization in North Idaho" by readers of The Inlander, and received the Idaho Governor's "Brightest Star" award in 2011. During its season, CST employs more than 100 performers, musicians and technicians.