White Plains CitizeNetReporter - BIG RIVER Explores Slavery, Roots of Black Music Thru Mark Twain’s 1850s South

WPCNR ON THE AISLE. Theatrical Review by John F. Bailey. February 13, 2012: BIG RIVER, a spirited, rousing Family Theatre Company production staged at Westchester Broadway Theatre was recognized by a host of Westchester County leaders on its premier week as WBT’s giveback to the community to celebrate Black History Month. The leaders were on hand to salute WBT owners and producers Bob Funking and Bill Stutler for turning over the theatre in February for the first time to present a production keyed to celebrate Black History Month.' County Executive Robert Astorino and County Leaders Thank Westchester Broadway Theatre for creating the first Black History Month production, Big River, produced by the local family theatre group, Family Theatre Company.WPCNR Photo The Family Theatre Company Cast of BIG RIVER playing through February 26 -- musical black history! Production Photos by Jordan Matter Fittingly they chose John Fanelli the longtime major domo and pioneer of theatre programs for youth in the county at the Westchester Broadway Theatre, John Fanelli, (since then he has founded the educational Times Square Group theatre in New York, the Lighthouse Youth Theatre, and now the Family Theatre Company. The FTC production of the rolling,endearing Big River is based on Samuel Clemens breakthrough classics, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Fin.

It treats the grim issue of slavery in America (as do Clemens' novels) with a precise touch, not too harsh for the children and not too soft for the adults while showcasing some of the brightest young performers around the County. It plays for two more weeks at the WBT, and provides a diverse, funny, and rollicking entertainment experience that starts slowly an gathers dignity, joy, and mightiness like the Mississippi itself. The eager Anthony Malchar (right) carries the precocious role of Huck Finn, the runaway, aided by his michievous pal, the silly and naive Todd Ritch (left) as Tom Sawyer, the lads entertain the audience and will amuse youngsters with their shenanigans, and sense of adventure. With his innocence and sense of self-preservation to get away from his threatening father, Huck sets off with Jim, a freed slave, down the Mississippi and the friendship that grows between the two, as does Huck’s sense of right and wrong, send a valuable lesson that will not be lost to the young, nor the old. Perhaps no other novels of the nineteenth century said more about in the inhumanity of slavery than Clemens’ (writing under the greatest nom de plume of all time, Mark Twain)two books, and said it in such a way that made the conclusion that slavery was wrong inevitable to whomever read them. Clemens would have won a Pulitzer prize if they gave them away then. Big River delivers the jolt. Fatye Francis playing Jim belting out Free at Last in the Grand Finale Highlight performer of the evening is FaTye Francis as Jim whose presence dominates the stageand belies his age and his ringing voice lifts the roof to the Heavens. He is easily the most commanding black voice I have heard in musical theatre in some time. (But then there are not many black leading men in Broadway Musical Theatre are there? I do not see many. Tell me I’m wrong.) FaTaye is a star-to-be. He gives the role of Jim the runaway salve, intelligence, dignity, and gravitas that Clemens’ books do not. In the Huckleberry Finn novel, Jim is portrayed as somewhat dependent on Huck. In Big River, Jim trusts Huck not to betray him, but is suspicious and presents a portrait of the runaway slave that is not stereotypical, hut his own man. FaTye makes Jim the hero of this show through his sheer force of will and magnificent voice. We'll be seeing him on Broadway, I predict. He is worth going to see and hear! The choreography in the hour and a half first act portraying slaves in the field uniquely captures the sweat of working in the hot southern sun while in one striking metaphor shows how the rhythm of the fields found its way into the rhythms of early Black music in “Waitin for the Light to Shine.” Later in the first act, the role of the church that made life livable for many black slaves (as if I knew anything about that), is captured with electrifying emotion when we first hear and see the amazing soprano of Jasmine Knight singing the spiritual, “The Crossing.” Her voice will send chills up your spine during a recreation of a old church service. It is a rouser! Ms. Knight is also featured in the second act singling Waitin for the Light to Shine. This young lady is a star of the future. You will not forget her voice. It is a voice from Heaven that fills your heart, and makes you want to look for Billy Graham. One of the most touching scenes occurs when two conmen that Huck and Jim meet up with attempt to swindle Susan Wilkes out of her inheritance, and as a result her slaves have to sold and families split up. Their walk up on the auction block, the way the amateur actors convey the doom of parting from family is heart-rending. This is easily the hardest scene in the play and it is very moving. Tom and Huck save the day by duping the two conmen, the King and The Duke (played deliciously deviously by August Abatecola andJoey Sanzaro) when Tom realizes Susan Wilkes (played most innocently and virtuously by Melanie Burg who sings You Oughta Be Here With Me) For a production that features many youth of the area, delivering at once flawlessly, (with pretty good articulation for young actors and actresses), a historical perspective on America’s shame of slavery, an era of youth innocence, and the strong roots of Black music in America, Big River is a satisfying first production in the first of many Westchester Broadway Black History Month productions in Februaries to come. Anthony Malcar as Huck with FaTye as Jim BIG RIVER plays February 15 and 16 at 11:15 A.M.; The 17th and 18th at 6:15 P.M.; the 19th at 11:15 A.M. and 5:15 P.M.; the 23rd at 11:15 A.M. and 6:15 P.M.; the 24th at 6:15 P.M.; the 25th at 6:15 P.M. and closes Sunday the 26th with an 11:15 A.M. performance. For more information go to www.broadwaytheatre.com, www.facebook.com/BigRiverMusical . Or call the WBT at 914-592-2268


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