Photo Flash: First Look at Children's Theatre Company's HUCK FINN

Based on Mark Twain's classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Children's Theatre Company (CTC) will present Greg Banks' adaptation of Huck Finn, now through April 4, 2015. Banks, whose CTC credits include Pinocchio, Robin Hood, Antigone, Romeo and Juliet and more, will direct, with music composed by Victor Zupanc, set by Joseph Stanley, costumes by Mary Anna Culligan and lighting design by Paul Whitaker. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

In this inventive take on Twain's classic story, acclaimed Twin Cities actor Ansa Akyea and CTC Company members Dean Holt and Reed Sigmund take on multiple roles, from Huck and Jim to a bullfrog, a steamboat, fog, and even the great Mississippi river itself. Huck Finn composer and CTC Music Director Victor Zupanc will play live on stage alongside accomplished multi-instrumentalist Joe Cruz playing a multitude of instruments throughout the show.

In creating this production, CTC and director Greg Banks confronted the controversy that the book has courted since its publication in 1885. Originally banned because of Huck's "coarse language" and "crude behavior," Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has more recently come under fire for its use of the 'n' word. Carefully weighing the decision of whether to include the use of the derogatory word as it is used in the original text, the creative team ultimately decided that the word would prevent audiences from experiencing the extraordinary power of this story.

The relevance of the story today is what attracted Ansa Akyea to this production: "I am doing this story for my children, for them to see and understand the challenges of the world they are coming into. I am doing this piece because it captures Mark Twain's American literary genius in reflecting man's capacity for cruelty in the institution of slavery, man's ability to love beyond skin color, and the importance of family beyond definition, country, and freedom."

Huck Finn premiered at CTC in the 2006-2007 season and is part of the theatre's ongoing commitment to reimagining classics for the stage.

Single tickets are on sale now. Groups of 10 or more save up to 25 percent. For more information, visit childrenstheatre.org or call the Ticket Office at 612.874.0400.

Photo Credit: Dan Norman