The Center for the Performing Arts presentation of Big River at 8 p.m. Sunday in Eisenhower Auditorium was a delightful reminder of theater's ability to recreate reality on stage.

Based on Mark Twain's tale of runaway slave Jim and his pal Huck, Big River transformed the 19th century novel into a musical extravaganza.

A clever set design gave the illusion that the Mississippi River had snaked its way into State College. Beneath an earth toned backdrop of a winding water way, Huck, portrayed by Ty Hreben and Jim, played by Mark Lawrence, seemed to effortlessly drift across stage. While the two actors guided their log raft through rain and fog, wood docks rotated on both sides making southern towns magically disappear as the freedom seekers floated by.

While Jim and Huck traveled together on their faithful raft, the audience experienced Roger Miller's inspirational music and lyrics. Beneath a star filled sky "The Crossing," a gospel song highlighting the faith of captured slaves, and "Muddy Water," a tribute to the mysterious Mississippi River, added an enjoyable dimension to Twain's classic work.

On shore, Fred Anzevino's performance as the alcoholic Pap Finn also was entertaining. In "Guv'ment," Huck's abusive father grumbled that the U.S. bureaucracy was money hungry, and "a damn, dumb guv'ment," as he performed a unique rendition of the twist and an Elvis-like leap on to his knees.

Despite a light hearted banner hung from a rafter at the show's beginning, which warned "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted. Persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished. Persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot," Big River caused its audience to take a serious look at how our society treats blacks.

When a con man named 'the Duke,' played by George Muellner, sold his friend Jim's freedom for $40, the greed which permeates American society hit onlookers with a cold dose of cruelty. After Jim had protected, fed and befriended the Duke, the shyster discarded the charity for cash.

A time has passed since Twain wrote about slavery in the American South; however, Big River shows that prejudice still exists and injustice persists.