The story of Big River is an adaptation of the picaresque novel Huckleberry Finn. At the end Mark Twain's novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Huck has been placed under the guardianship of the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, since his pop is an irresponsible drunkard. The whole town of St Petersburg seems to be against Huck, warning him that he'll not get to heaven if he doesn't straighten up. ("Do You Wanna Go to Heaven") Late at night Huck escapes from his bedroom to join Tom Sawyer and the Boys in the cave, where they plan their adventures. ("The Boys")
Later that night Huck's pop drags him off to his cabin in the woods, where he complains about a government that would take a man's son away from him. ("Guv'ment") As Pop is unstable, he tries to kill Huck, but is too drunk, and fails. To cover his escape, Huck kills a pig. Then he encounters Tom again, who sings "Hand for the Hog", but Huck is no longer interested in such childhood games. He goes to live alone on Jackson's Island, in the Mississippi, a life that Tom can only fantasize.
Huck is not alone on the island. Miss Watson's slave Jim is there, having run away to keep from being sold down the river. They make a plan to escape, but have to leave in a hurry before they are fully ready. ("Muddy Water") They are reminded of the seriousness of their action when they pass a boat carrying captured runaway slaves going upriver. They sing the plaintive gospel-like "The Crossing". But they are able to sing of the beauty of life on the river in "River in the Rain".
Their reverie is interrupted by two rapscallions who introduce themselves as the Duke of Bridgewater and the long-lost Dauphin, the rightful King of France. They plan a new con game to fleece the people along the river. ("When the Sun Goes Down in the South") Unfortunately for Jim, they have floated past Cairo, Illinois, at the mouth of the Ohio, which pretty much ends Jim's hope of freedom.
The Duke and King with Huck try their first shenanigan in a town in Arkansas: "The Royal Nonesuch". When they return to the raft, Huck plays a trick on Jim, pretending to be a slave catcher. Jim is not amused, and Huck apologizes, seeing Jim as a fellow human. But they realize that although they are friends, there is a huge gulf between them. ("Worlds Apart")
After several further adventures, Huck returns to the raft, finding a tarred and feathered Duke, but no Jim. The Duke admits he sold Jim back into slavery for $40. Huck is now filled with remorse. He writes a letter to Miss Watson, admitting everything and telling her where she can find her runaway slave. But then he feels worse. He tears up the letter, and, even if it means he'll go to hell, decides to free Jim. ("Waitin' for the Light to Shine")
After some more adventures, Tom Sawyer shows up, and decides to help Huck rescue Jim. They find him in a tiny cell, where he explains that even if he is let out of the cell he can never be really free. ("Free at Last", the title of which is also the title of an old Negro spiritual). After Jim is out, he and Huck learn that Miss Watson has died, and set Jim free in her will. Jim decides to return to Missouri to buy his family's freedom, and Huck plans to go west to escape from "civilization".
--Adapted from CD liner notes written by Rocco Landesman and from the novel Huckleberry Finn.