Touring produtions of Show Boat may have America singing "Old Man River," but it's a young man's river that's coming to Connecticut Repertory Theatre June 27. Winner of seven 1985 Tony Awards, the William Hauptman/Roger Miller musical, Big River will run at the Storrs venue as part of its Nutmeg Summer Series, through July 12. In River, based on Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, Huck escapes from drunken Pap and the civilizin' Widow Douglas for an adventure on a raft with runaway slave, Jim. B. Peter Westerhoff directs and choreographs the musical, which adopts folk and country idioms to Broadway show music.
Songs in the show include "Waitin' For The Light To Shine," "Muddy Water," "When The Sun Goes Down In The South," and "Free At Last."

Appearing in the show are Jamison Stern (Huck), C. Mingo Long (Jim), Scott Kealey (The King), Richard Ruiz (Duke), Susan Spain, Robin Aronson, Carrie A. Brewer, Matt Brooks, Tyrone Green, Larry Grimes, Jerry Stephen Krasser, Meredith Parker, Chris Hand Parliman, Adam Peterson, Ian A. Pfister, Patrick Reed, Nicole Roblyer, David Rossmer, Rick-Alan Taylor and Itanza Wooden. Designing the show are Eric Lowell Renschler (sets), Judith Picard Cronk (costumes), Kendall Smith (lighting), Stephen Thompson (sound). Kenneth Clark will serve as musical director.

For tickets ($16-$18) and information on Big River at Connecticut Rep on Bolton Road in Storrs, call (860) 486-1628.

--By David Lefkowitz