Greetings, Natchez and the Miss-Lou!

Natchez Little Theatre, Mississippi’s oldest community theatre, celebrating 78 years of entertainment, is proud to once again present the musical adventure of Huckleberry Finn, “Big River,” adapted from the novel by Mark Twain.

This tale of adventure and self-discovery begins on a raft on the Mississippi River in the 1840s, where Huck, played by Rudy Timm of Natchez, escaping from his drunken father, played by Trey Price of Clayton, meets up with Jim, a runaway slave played by Benta Thomas, making his NLT debut.

The story of their journey downstream is an American classic that captures the rhythms, sounds and spirit of life on the big river. Mark Twain’s timeless classic sweeps us down the mighty Mississippi as the irrepressible Huck Finn helps his friend, Jim, a slave, escape to freedom at the mouth of the Ohio River. Propelled by an award-winning score from Roger Miller, the king of country music, this jaunty journey provides a brilliantly theatrical celebration of pure Americana. Based on Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” one of the greatest creations in American fiction, “Big River” transforms Mark Twain’s classic to the stage, blending music, voice and dance in an unforgettable journey.

Huck and Jim’s adventures along the way are hilarious, suspenseful and heartwarming, bringing to life your favorite characters from the novel: the Widow Douglas, played by Courtney Hicks, and her stern sister, Miss Watson played by Lou Ellen Stout; the uproarious king, played by Tommy Jackson, and Duke, played by Layne Taylor, who may or may not be as harmless as they seem; Huck’s partner in crime, Tom Sawyer, played by Dwight Williams, and their rowdy gang of pals played by John Ashton Hicks, Morgan Farrar, Colby Passman and Eden McMillin; Huck’s drunken father, the sinister Pap Finn; the lovely Mary Jane Wilkes, played by Taylor Spring, and her trusting family played by Sydney Eidt and Arden McMillin.

The remainder of the cast includes Don Vesterse, Angela Landers, Bo Allen, Wade Heatherly, Rusty Jenkins, Beverly Adams, Jaelin Jones, Rhoshawnda Baker, Emily Hicks, Erin Hicks, Ashtin Houghton, Alanna Kelly, Kayla Kelly, George Piazza and Alethea Shelton. I am the director and choreographer for the production with talented choreography assistance by Sydney Eidt; Tommy Jackson, musical director; Don Vesterse, set designer; Layne Taylor, assistant director; Kameron Cupit of Co-Lin Community College Natchez campus, as lighting technician.

“Big River” runs every Friday, Saturday, Monday and Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. throughout the Natchez Fall Pilgrimage, Oct. 1- 16, and closes on Sunday, Oct. 17, with a 2 p.m. matinee. All tickets are $15 and should be reserved by calling Natchez Little Theatre at 319 Linton Ave., at Maple Street in Natchez at 601-442-2233 or toll free at 1-877-440-2233 or online at www.natcheztheatre.com. There will be two student matinees on Tuesday, Sept. 28, and Thursday, Sept. 30, at 9 a.m., for local area students and a benefit performance for the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29.

Tickets for the benefit are $10 each with all proceeds going to the new shelter fund.

I look forward to seeing you at Natchez Little Theatre!

Lynn Mann is the Natchez Little Theatre vice president of production and director of “Big River.”