The River
2009
The River is a large-cast musical parable written by Ken Bradbury and Roger Wainwright, conceived for a summer camp production involving around 120 young people. Designed to be staged simply — on a flatbed trailer for a stage, or indoors at the Crossroads Center if rain came — the show was built so that nearly every camper could take part, with most roles deliberately written as unisex so they could be cast by actors of either sex.
The story opens on a bare stage plunged into darkness. A flood siren wails, red lights flash, and panicked townspeople rush on, staring out at "the river" rising upstage. A hundred-year flood is bearing down on the village, and the people scramble to build a levee out of painted cardboard "blocks" and sandbags. Cameron drives the work forward, insisting the river is still rising even as others — seeing the waters briefly recede — drift off to a dance at the Grange Hall, convinced the danger has passed. Only young Chris and the old prophet-like figure Isaiah remain to help, Isaiah warning that the river is "a livin' thing" that grows and changes, and that "somethin's gotta give."
Rooted in the imagery of sin, sacrifice, and standing firm against the flood, The River carries a clear faith message: the levee cannot hold by human effort alone, and the village needs help beyond itself to tame the waters. It is a story of community, complacency, and the cost of taking a stand.
Musical Numbers
- We Gotta Hold it Back!
- Somethin's Gotta Give!
- Don't You Ever Wonder?
- Yes, I Know!
Cast
Many parts were written to be played by actors of either sex.
- Cameron — leader who rallies the town to hold the levee
- Dakota
- Casey — the mother
- Hayden — Casey's child, sent to the hills for safety
- Jordan
- Quinn
- Morgan
- Isaiah — an old man, a prophet-like voice of warning
- Chris — a young man who stays to help
- Shea
- Sage
- Riley
- Sidney
- Logan
- Emerson
- Bailey
- Drew
- Townsperson One
- Townsperson Two
- Townspeople of the Village
Production Notes
The River was developed as a camp show on commission, with an estimated cast of about 120 young people. Not all would necessarily appear on stage — some were assigned to tech and crew — and the cast was to be broken into small working groups. The script was deliberately kept short and the characters lightly drawn, a practical choice given the large number of performers.
The production was designed for outdoor staging on a flatbed trailer, with the Crossroads Center as a rain location. The river itself was to be suggested with painted plastic sheeting, and the levee built from painted cardboard boxes treated as heavy blocks, with a few platforms strong enough to hold a performer's weight. Helpers were planned to teach dance, with the recorded music used to block the staging.