Musical Theater Heritage navigates warm currents and darker waters in a songful, Twain-based Big River

Summer seems suited to a show about cutting loose. Whether Musical Theater Heritage had this in mind, its Big River is a fitting seasonal kickoff.

Based on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the show opened on Broadway in 1985 and won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical. It adapts the story of Huck, Tom Sawyer and Jim, and their escapades on and off the river, a place where Jim and Huck seek a different sort of freedom — Jim from slavery and Huck from civilized society.

Twain’s views seep through a script focused less on irony and satire and more on charm. I would have wished for more of the original’s message and bite and less aw-shucks nostalgia, but the strength of Big River’s ensemble — including the outstanding performances of its leads — and the expertise of the live seven-piece band (conducted by pianist Jeremy Watson) softened my stance. The show is probably best-known for its country-, gospel- and bluegrass-influenced compositions, by Roger Miller, and they are the highlights of this production, given what director Sarah Crawford calls MTH’s typically “stripped down” treatment.

The narrative carries some surprising parallels with today’s political climate, made particularly plain in Kip Niven’s portrayal of Pap, Huck’s abusive and alcoholic father. Niven’s rendition of “Guv’ment” is superb, and he lends an uneducated, bigoted man a definite element of threat.

As Huck, Devon Norris centers the show and provides perfect balance to his character’s conflicted nature — wrestling with right versus wrong but able to see through the hypocrisy and immorality of those around him. His mellifluous singing is especially resounding in “I, Huckleberry Me” and “Waitin’ for the Light to Shine.”

Co-star and MTH veteran Justin McCoy gives dimension to the slave Jim. His powerful and resonant voice both contrasts and blends with that of Norris. And their duets — “Muddy Water,” “River in the Rain” and “Worlds Apart” — are sit-up-and-take-notice high points.

When two tricksters join their journey and dangerously steer its course, Jim and Huck — and their story — take a detour. But the engaging, over-the-top performances of Bob Wearing as the Duke and Bob Linebarger as the King are worth the excursion.

In a supporting role here as Tom Sawyer, the exuberant Preston O’ffill makes the most of limited stage time (and hams it up in “Hand for the Hog”). Also grabbing notice are Katie Bartow as Mary Jane, a young heiress nearly duped, and Nancy Nail as both Widow Douglas and Aunt Sally. Other supporting cast members, too many to mention, do good work, including Craig Aikman and Bri Woods. The incorporation of a chorus, composed of the Isaac Cates Gospel Singers and the Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City, effectively adds more somber notes to parts of Act 2.

Though the narrative’s serious underlying themes — an abusive parent, racism, slavery — come through, Big River feels more good times than bad. And it’s in that context that the n-word — in the book (written in 1884) and no doubt the script — is, to my ears, uttered too often with little malice and too much ease. Less significantly, a couple of Southern accents are overdone, and the show’s second half feels drawn out.

But it was a captivated, not captive, audience at the performance I attended — and an undeniably enthusiastic one. This classic American tale and its beloved characters, and especially Miller’s music — rendered here so memorably — make Big River a summer pastime to savor.

Big River
Through June 26
Musical Theater Heritage
Crown Center
2450 Grand
816-221-6987
mthkc.com