Eric Moore and Brandon O'Dell

Theatrical Outfit might occupy one of the smaller theaters in Atlanta, but its joyous, near-perfect production of Big River soars to incredible heights, spilling over with extraordinary music and ebullient performances.

A playful adaptation of Mark Twain's perennially popular 1884 novel, "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," this rollicking musical chronicles the daring adventures of 13-year-old Huck Finn accompanied by a lively set of songs by Grammy-winning country legend Roger Miller.

When we meet Huck, he's chafing under the strict rules at the Widow Douglas's home, where he has lived since his drunken father ran off. But Pap stumbles back into the picture when he learns that Huck (along with his buddy Tom Sawyer) has come into some money, and he drags the reluctant Huck back into his care. Pap's intoxication turns violent one night, and Huck runs off, eventually crossing paths with Jim, the Widow's runaway slave who is determined not to be sold down river. The unlikely pair set off together on a raft, encountering adventures that neither could have imagined.

Director Heidi Cline has put together an exceptional production of this crowd-pleasing show, and she carefully balances its irresistible jubilance with its undercurrents of darkness. Big River certainly celebrates Huck's boyish pranks and rebellious nature, but it is also set in the late 1840s, well before the emancipation of the slaves. Thus, the story (and, especially, William Hauptman's Tony Award-winning book) provides a keen look at a time when the status of African-Americans was perilously low.

So, for all of Huck's excitement at being out on the river with Jim, he also contends with frightening racist behavior, especially in the case of a pair of gregarious scoundrels (con men who call themselves The King and The Duke), who are quick to relegate Jim to the status of property. It's a journey of enlightenment for Huck, and you can see his understanding of the world expand as he experiences more of it. Much of what he's understood to be "good" and "right" (and, often, "religious") suddenly seems problematic, and we get to watch him make his own choices and divine his own direction. In this way, Big River makes a case for the vital need to see the world through another's eyes—maybe we could all do with being stranded together on a raft for a spell.

Music director S. Renee Clark and choreographer Jeff McKerley (who also plays The Duke) have created vibrant, toe-tapping production numbers that explode from the stage in colorful costumes, rich harmonies and infectious movement. In an inspired, inventive choice, the instrumentalists double as cast members, further synthesizing the music with the story. From fiddles to trombones to clarinets to harmonicas, this tight ensemble creates a rich tapestry of sound, making this not just a musical, but a story that just has to sing.

And this is just the group of actors to sing it—it's hard to imagine a more perfect Big River cast than this one. From his charming, toothy smile to his gangly, loose-limbed dancing, Brandon O'Dell's Huck is the embodiment of mischievous, marvelous adolescence, and he brings a good-natured warmth to both moments of defiance ("I, Huckleberry, Me") and points of uncertainty ("Waitin' for the Light to Shine"). Moreover, O'Dell and Eric Moore, who plays Jim, seem to bring out the best in each other, creating exquisite harmonies within the wistful "River in the Rain" and the plaintive "Worlds Apart." In addition to his powerhouse voice (he raises the rafters on "Free at Last"), Moore brings an affecting stillness and soulfulness to Jim's most emotionally riveting scenes with Huck.

This swiftly flowing, episodic tale demands a lot from its ensemble, all of whom play a variety of roles, but they each deliver a memorable, nuanced performance in even the most short-lived of characters. Artistic Director Tom Key is especially persuasive in the dual roles of The King and Pap, and he delivers the punchy tirade "Guv'ment" with gritty, inimitable style and dynamic, drunken pizzazz.

If you look closely at the set, you'll see words scrawled on the wood and, courtesy of Theatrical Outfit, Mark Twain's prose springs to life as if we were hearing it for the first time. It's a triumphant—and all too rare—moment in the theater when everything seems to click perfectly into place, but look no further than the mighty, mesmerizing "Muddy Water," sung when Huck and Jim embark on their journey. The actors might be standing on a static square of wood, but propelled by the powerful music and the force of imagination, we feel like we're rushing down river with them at euphoric speeds.

Big River runs through October 5 at The Balzer Theater at Herren's 84 Luckie Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia. For performance and ticket information, visit www.theatricaloutfit.org.

Photo: Bill DeLoach

-- Amy Krivohlavek