“The face of the water, in time, became a wonderful book–a book that was a dead language to the uneducated passenger, but which told its mind to me without reserve, delivering its most cherished secrets as clearly as if it uttered them with a voice. And it was not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it had a new story to tell every day” – Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi
Rehearsals for The WordPlayers’ production of BIG RIVER: THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN have begun!! Melanie Leach, our insightful Assistant Stage Manager, shares some thoughts inspired by the show’s beautiful ballad, “River in the Rain,” sung by Huck and Jim.
Last week, as Dom (playing Jim) and Brady (Huck) sang through “River in the Rain” for the first time, Elizabeth (our music director) somewhat jokingly said that this is the love duet in this show. After a moment, everyone in the room nodded their heads and acknowledged that it is a love song – to a place. Mark Twain’s writing is filled with vivid descriptions of life on and along a river. In our show, the river is central to the story – it is a place of connection, adventure and mystery, a place of danger, healing and growth, a moving path toward an unknown future with equal possibility of death or new life. Doesn’t that sound like a romance?
Like Mark Twain’s books, the Bible is full of references to rivers both real and metaphorical. Here are a few:
– Joshua 3, Ezekiel 47, Amos 5:24, Mark 1:9-11, John 7:38, Acts 16:13, Revelation 22
Like the Mississippi, Biblical rivers also represent places of connection, mystery, healing etc… They are part of the scriptural love song that God has given to guide us to new life. This is a song to be explored over and over – it too has a new story to tell every day.”
Thank you, Melanie!
We hope everyone will make plans to see the show at The Bijou Theatre July 15-17.