'Big River' to run through Batavia High this weekend
Have you ever wanted to travel down the mighty Mississippi and experience the adventures of Huck Finn? Now you have the opportunity and you don't even have to get your feet wet.
This weekend, "Big River," the musical based on "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," heads to the Batavia High School cafeteria stage. The musical is a much-loved classic of the American stage, having won the Tony Award for best musical when it debuted back in the 1985.
This production isn't easy to stage because of a river that runs through the middle of the stage and the necessity for places to hide and escape. The script calls for a raft to float down a river and trapdoor - not an easy task, especially on a small stage like the one at the high school.
Director Page McCloud and his actors have built a multilevel stage with quite a few surprises. When the technical aspect of a play is difficult, it requires a special person to keep the actors and the stage crew on their toes.
McCloud has put a veteran stage crew member in the position to run the show. That person is stage manager, Hannah Antonczyk.
Stage managers often go unnoticed, which is too bad because they have a very important job. They make sure actors are on their marks and the stage crew has all of the set pieces in place. It can be a harrowing experience, especially when the backstage area is so small. The stage manager is the one who makes the decision to hold the curtain for an emergency such as a immovable set piece or a wardrobe malfunction.
Antonczyk has worked on eight different shows during her time at BHS. She knows what it takes to move the production along. She values the involvement of all the aspects of the theater especially the technical.
"The stage crew creates a visual without talking or acting," said the energetic senior. "They set the stage for the actors."
Everyone has a job in getting the show on stage, the pit musicians, the stage crew and those in charge of props. Antonczyk has to make sure it all runs smoothly.
"The actors take care of themselves for the most part, but it can get pretty chaotic when everyone is crammed into a small space," she said.
This play has a little bit of everything - intrigue, mystery, humor and an underlying theme of friendship and loyalty. The audience is drawn in as Huck and Jim, the runaway slave who escapes with him, get in and out of trouble along their journey.
"This is Mr. McCloud's first musical since he has been back," Antonczyk said. "He does such a great job and that shows in the quality of the production."
The play opens at 7:30 p.m. today and runs through Saturday.
<p class="factboxheadblack">If you go</p> <p class="News"><b>What:</b> Batavia High School production of "Big River"</p> <p class="News"><b>When:</b> 7:30 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday; April 23, 24 and 25</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Batavia High School cafeteria, 1200 W. Wilson St.</p> <p class="News"><b>Tickets and info:</b> $6; call (630) 937-8600, ext. 7949</p>