Bethea and Wigington put together a solid debut for the UNCG production of Big River

In a new and beautifully renovated Aycock Auditorium, the cast of Big River put on another one of UNCG's signature fall musicals. Students, parents, children, and faculty filled both floor and balcony to see the adapted version of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain's controversial novel. Huck, played wonderfully by Beau Wigington, and Jim, a runaway slave, acted astoundingly by Jonathan Bethea, get caught up in all types of unwanted trouble while trying to escape to the north. They unknowingly end up meeting the powerful comedic duo King, and Duke, played by Matt Palmer and Stephen Spencer. Things get terribly out of hand as they run scams on the country folk they pass making, or swindling, money in their wake. All the while, Jim has become angry and heartbroken as the scammers keep him locked up and even more so as his good pal Huck never seems to help out. Even with these difficult settings Jim never says a word out of fear of being sold back into slavery. In the end, Huck comes to his senses and gets away, setting Jim free and becoming the unlikely hero his family and friends never expected of him.

The set was altogether a visual masterpiece, with planks and other props sliding to, from, and above the stage to create multiple sets within the set. As comical as Big River was, the audience seemed to not like the funny country humor, although, they were never reluctant to applaud after the song and dance numbers. Though according to audience laughs, favorites were the notorious Tom Sawyer, a great and troublesome friend of Huck's, which was played to perfection by Phillip Eggers. In his song "The Boys," Sawyer and his gang go on a pirating spree where they are to rob, still, and kill whenever they please. Though the women must not be killed because eventually, they fall in love with the pirates. Another audience favorite was Pap, Huck's father, who was acted by David Godshall, who did a hilarious view of the drunk and crazy character. There was also the country threesome Hank, Lafe, and Andy, who got laughs even before their lines. The singing and dancing done by the rest of the large cast was simply amazing on its own. They never missed a beat.

Although the play is a success, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, hasn't always had that same luck. The book still remains on The American Library Association's Banned Books list for it's controversial view of Jim, slavery, and overall view of African American, as voiced by numerous organizations and court cases. The show finished its short run on Sunday, but the UNCG theater isn't done with the viewing public yet. Stop by the box office in the Elliott University Center (EUC), to get a look, and buy tickets, for the upcoming shows