Huckleberry Finn

Who is Huckleberry Finn?

Huck is a resourceful, independent minded boy who fakes his own death to escape his abusive father and the rigid expectations of small town life along the Mississippi River. His journey down the river on a raft with Jim, a man fleeing slavery, forces him to weigh what he has been taught about right and wrong against what he actually witnesses and feels.

Over the course of the show, Huck's loyalty to Jim deepens into genuine friendship, and his willingness to defy the law and his upbringing to protect Jim becomes the moral center of the story. His plainspoken, skeptical voice guides the audience through the show's events.

Huck's role in Big River

Huck is the lead role and narrator of Big River, requiring a young performer with an easy, natural singing voice suited to the show's country and folk influenced score. He appears in nearly every scene and carries much of the storytelling directly to the audience, blending narration with numbers like Waitin' for the Light to Shine.

Daniel Jenkins originated the role on Broadway in 1985, establishing the plainspoken, unaffected performance style the part calls for. Audiences remember Huck for his honesty and moral growth, a boy who has to unlearn some of what society taught him in order to do what he knows is right.

Huckleberry Finn: frequently asked questions