‘Sawyer’ is faithful to original

Tom Titus

Certain works of literature, after multiple readings, tend to

insinuate themselves in the memory, and for me, Mark Twain’s “The

Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is a sterling example.

A good half-century after I put down the book for the last time,

Twain’s narrative strikes a most familiar chord upon viewing the

Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater’s adaptation of the children’s

classic. The characters, the situations and the dialogue are

virtually unchanged in the Laguna production.

A single alteration -- and a positive one -- is the addition of a

guitar-strumming narrator (Mark Turnbull) in the local rendition,

adapted by playhouse Youth Theater director Joe Lauderdale and

directed by Donna Inglima. Turnbull moves, unnoticed by the

participants, through the young hero’s character-shaping adventures,

commenting musically from the perspective of an adult who’s been

there, done that and remembers fondly.

Now the playhouse is introducing this classic novel of young

people’s life on the banks of the Mississippi River in the mid-19th

century to a new generation of youngsters, and the young audiences

should be more than happy to make the introduction. Lauderdale has

selected highlights from the book and dramatized them splendidly,

aided by an enthusiastic band of young (and some older) actors under

Inglima’s loving direction.

The young title character -- an orphaned boy living with his

maiden aunt -- is skillfully brought to the stage by Jared Wigdor,

who captures with ease the essence of childhood a century and a half

ago. Handy with his fists, awkward in romance and possessing a keen

spirit of adventure, Tom Sawyer comes beautifully alive in Wigdor’s

energetic portrayal.

Tom’s love interest, Becky Thatcher, is given heart and spirit by

Jazz Brice, who warms to her suitor only to reject him when learning

of a previous flame. Bamdad Miradi delivers a richly robust

Huckleberry Finn, the town bad boy (who’ll go on to his own fame in

the musical “Big River”).

Nick Mirman and Trevor Evans lend solid support as Tom’s buddies

Ben Rogers and Joe Harper, while Jordan Sandfer isn’t on stage long

enough to establish his repugnance as Tom’s smart aleck stepbrother

Sid.

Aunt Polly, Tom’s stern but loving guardian, is well interpreted

by April Morgan, while Karan Founds-Benton has some nice moments as

Joe Harper’s concerned mother. Choice among the adult roles, however,

is Daniel Jensen’s authoritarian schoolteacher, who rules his classes

by intimidation.

Other adults contributing impressive performances are Blake Hardin

Chambers as the murderous Injun Joe, Cory W. Casoni as the hapless

Muff Potter and John Richard Peterson, doubling as the sheriff and

the local clergyman.

Don Gruber’s multi-segment settings are well utilized across the

sprawling playhouse proscenium, hitting an impressive height during

the cave sequence near the play’s end. Costumer Dwight Richard Odle

lends a touch of physical authenticity and Glenn Powell’s lighting

further enhances the production.

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is a book every youngster should

peruse, particularly before viewing the Laguna Playhouse’s

ultra-faithful youth production. Setting the show to music only

enhances its appeal.