FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Leigh Allen, Marketing Director
(937) 461-3823, ext. 3112
BIG FUN, BIG LAUGHS, BIG MUSIC – BIG RIVER
DAYTON, OH - November 7 - The Human Race Theatre is bringing big fun, big laughs, big music, and big holiday doin’s for the whole family to downtown Dayton with its presentation of Big River, a big hit in the Big Apple in the 1980s, and a good time for all. The rousing show previews at The Loft Theatre Nov. 30, with a gala opening night set for Dec. 1.
Big River combines the storyline of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn with the music of country legend Roger Miller and with theatrical ingenuity that has the cast not only turning everything in sight into something else, but serving as the Mississippi’s current for Huck and Jim’s raft.
The show reaped seven 1985 Tony awards during 1005-performance original Broadway run, including Best Musical and Best Score, and another for its successful revival in 2003 – and has already garnered so much interest in Dayton that the run has been extended a week, to Dec. 23.
Miller won 11 Grammys and was elected posthumously to the Country Music Hall of Fame, famous for such novelty hits as “King of the Road” and “Dang Me.” Miller put his sense of humor and musical genius to work in Big River, from fun songs like “Guv’mint,” “The Royal Nonesuch,” and “Hand for the Hog” to moving pieces like “Muddy Water,” “Waitin’ for the Light to Shine” and “River in the Rain.”
The Human Race presentation is directed by Joe Deer of Wright State’s Theatre Arts Department, whose many local successes include last season’s Seussical, and produced by Human Race Executive Director Kevin Moore, also making his first major stage appearance in eight years as The King.
Scott Hunt, one of many Human Race Resident Artists in the cast, stars as Huck. Hunt has recently been seen in Dayton in Was and the musical workshops Nefertiti and Voice of the City. Jim, is played by Horace E. Smith III, from the Big River city of Memphis. Smith has played Jim in New York.
The King’s ne’er-do-well companion, The Duke, is Mark Chmiel, who drew raves as The Cat in the Hat in Seussical. Eric Lesh will make his Human Race debut as Tom Sawyer.
Playing multiple characters are some familiar stalwarts and some newcomers to the area – Kay Bosse, Shavey Brown, Jamie Cordes, Kimberly Finch. Warren Freeman, Morgan Grahame, Ashley Hannon, Katie Pees, Shayna Shurelds, Patrick Stafford, Scott Stoney, and Danielle K. Thomas.
Tickets for Big River are $15.50 to $34, available at ticketcenterstage.com, by calling 888-228-3630, or at the Schuster Center or Victoria Theatre box offices.
Special events include a Family Day matinee Dec. 2, with all tickets $15.50; the Pay What You Can pre-preview Nov. 29, with cash and food donations to local charities; a sign-interpreted/audio-described performance Dec. 9; a post-show talkback after the Dec. 10 matinee; and Lite Fare pre-show munchies beginning at 5:30 Dec. 12.
Theatre buffs may also join Artistic Director Marsha Hanna Inside the Theatre Experience, three Tuesday sessions that including seeing the show and discussing its history and this production. Call 461-3823 for more info.
Sponsors include Tim and Char Scroggins, Elder-Beerman, Fifth Third Bank, Battelle and Battelle, LLP, Marion’s Piazza, Requarth Lumber, the Roberts Foundation, and Patti Giering, with organizational support from Culture Works, Montgomery County, Ohio Arts Council, and the Shubert Foundation.
For more information, visit humanracetheatre.org
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Founded in 1986, The Human Race Theatre Company presents universal themes that explore the human condition and startle us all into a renewed awareness of ourselves. The company moved to the Metropolitan Arts Center in 1991, taking up residence at The Loft, a 219-seat theatre. In addition to the Loft Series (in collaboration with the Victoria Theatre Association) The Human Race produces for the Fifth Third Broadway Series, the Musical Theatre Workshop series, and special event programming. The Human Race, under the direction of Artistic Director Marsha Hanna and Executive Director Kevin Moore, also maintains educational outreach programs for children and adults, guest artists and artist residencies in area schools, The Muse Machine In-School Tour, Youth Summer Stock and The Human Race Conservatory. The new Caryl D. Philips Creativity Center of The Human Race opened in January 2006 to provide a space for extensive theatre education classes and workshops.