Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Lyrics – All Songs from the Musical

"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" Soundtrack Description

Questions and Answers

Is there an official Broadway cast album?

No full commercial OBC was widely released; the team recorded a promotional CD sampler in late 2000, and an internal cast recording exists but remains unreleased.

Who wrote the score, and who wrote the book?

Country songwriter Don Schlitz composed the music and lyrics; playwright Ken Ludwig wrote the book.

When and where did the 2001 Broadway run happen?

It opened at the Minskoff Theatre on April 26, 2001, and closed May 13, 2001 after 34 previews and 21 performances.

Which songs cover the “cave” climax?

“Angels Lost” and its reprise frame the town’s search, while Tom’s ballad “Light” underscores the children navigating the cave.

Did Kristen Bell really play Becky Thatcher?

Yes—this production marked Kristen Bell’s Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher.

Who handled the show’s musical forces behind the scenes?

Paul Gemignani served as musical director, with orchestrations by Michael Starobin and dance/incidental music by David Krane.

Notes & Trivia

• The musical’s story hews to Twain but centers Tom’s point of view with a warm, family-forward tone (according to Playbill).
• Joshua Park (Tom) earned a Theatre World Award for his breakout performance.
• Design was a talking point: Heidi Ettinger’s scenic concepts—raft, fence, and cave—were frequently singled out.
• “To Hear You Say My Name,” Tom and Becky’s duet, became the show’s go-to clip in archival videos.
• Licensing is handled by Music Theatre International, so regional and school editions are available.
• Don Schlitz—yes, the songwriter behind “The Gambler”—penned both music and lyrics.
• A pre-opening CD sampler was cut in October 2000; a complete OBC album never hit stores.
• Paul Gemignani led the pit; Michael Starobin’s orchestrations added sheen without turning it into a pop opera.
• Kristen Bell’s Broadway debut here predates her later TV/film fame (as noted by IBDB).

Overview

Among the prominent actors of this musical, only Kristen Bell is worth noting, whose name is well known not only by the stage scaffoldings. Incredibly beautiful in appearance, she has a fantastic smile and a very pleasant character. She has now become a famous actress and starred on the big screen. The rest of the actors have grown up a little bit, too, but their names taken together would tell you something of their work and social life, as much as the name of Kristen Bell. This musical is based on the imperishable work by Mark Twain, which we are studying even in the school curriculum – so instructive this work is, and there are so many diverse characters, situations, and experiences. And yet it appeals to our deepest feelings and emotions on almost every page of the text, making it work though not eternal, but very tenacious, at least for a few dozen future generations. In the story, we meet famous protagonists – Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Tom meets a girl, with whom they have mutual admiration, and Huck is his best friend, with whom they come in a variety of comical and even dangerous situations, from which they go out victorious. The book would not be so interesting if it were not for the anti-hero (evil troublemaker Injun Joe, who is trying to kill them all, but in the book killed himself, entangled in a cave and did not find out the release from it), as well as several characters who lead very righteous lives. On Broadway, the show was launched in 2001 and after 13 performances was closed, lasting only 2 months. Why does a homespun, river-town musical lean so hard on a ballad called “Light”? Because this show treats adventure as illumination—kids learning in real time what courage feels like. Across two acts, the score moves like the Mississippi it worships: brisk surface, steady undercurrent. You get broad-daylight mischief (“Hey, Tom Sawyer”), courtroom tension (“The Testimony”), and a hush in the dark when Tom steadies Becky in the cave (“Light”). What distinguishes this soundtrack isn’t pastiche; it’s a country-tilted Broadway idiom—banjo-friendly rhythms and story-first melodies—built to charm families and sneak in heart. The production lived quickly on Broadway in spring 2001, but the music keeps traveling in community and school stagings. That’s not an accident. The writing pairs clean hooks with clear character beats. You can stage a fence, a raft, a cave—and the score does half the storytelling (as stated in Variety’s 2001 review).

Genres & Themes

• Americana/Country inflections ? everyday wit, small-town swagger, Huck’s independence.
• Bouncy Broadway ensembles ? the whirl of playground politics; chores-as-caper energy in the fence bits.
• Gospel touches ? communal faith and search-party urgency around the “funeral” misdirection.
• Lyric-driven ballads ? Tom and Becky’s tender awkwardness; Aunt Polly’s stoic love.
• Underscore & dance cues ? propel chases, cave suspense, and courtroom pivots without hijacking tone.

Key Tracks & Scenes

• “Hey, Tom Sawyer” — Company
  Where it plays: Opening bustle in St. Petersburg; mostly diegetic bustle bleeding into full-company musicalizing.
  Why it matters: Instantly sketches the town’s rules and Tom’s habit of bending them.
• “Here’s My Plan” — Tom
  Where it plays: Post-fence edict; Tom’s scheme hatches in real time.
  Why it matters: A character thesis—resourceful, impulsive, and allergic to straight lines.
• “Hands All Clean” — Injun Joe & Doc Robinson
  Where it plays: Graveyard confrontation; non-diegetic tension underscoring the murder.
  Why it matters: Darkens the palette; sets up the courtroom and cave stakes.
• “The Testimony” — Tom & Company
  Where it plays: Courtroom sequence; Tom’s conscience goes public.
  Why it matters: A moral turn—Tom chooses truth over mischief.
• “To Hear You Say My Name” — Tom & Becky
  Where it plays: Early romance beat; a quiet pause in the schoolyard swirl.
  Why it matters: Gives Becky agency and shows Tom’s heart without the bluster.
• “I Can Read” — Huck & Widow Douglas
  Where it plays: After Huck is taken in; diegetic learning shading into duet.
  Why it matters: Humanizes Huck’s arc beyond “free spirit” into belonging.
• “Angels Lost” / “Light” — Polly/Judge & Tom
  Where it plays: Search montage and cave climax; non-diegetic lift.
  Why it matters: The score’s emotional peak—communal worry answered by Tom’s hard-won steadiness.

Music–Story Links (characters & plot beats as connected to songs)

• Fence to feelings: Mischief in “Here’s My Plan” melts into sincerity once “To Hear You Say My Name” arrives—Tom’s bravado yields to connection.
• Villainy with a pulse: “Hands All Clean” doesn’t glamorize the crime; its clipped rhythms make the courtroom risk feel real later.
• Found family: “I Can Read” turns Huck’s arc from outsider myth to practical intimacy—learning, shelter, and a second chance.
• Town vs. kids: The gospel shape of “Angels Lost” sets adult voices against the children’s “Light,” so reunion sounds earned rather than convenient.
• Truth telling: “The Testimony” scores Tom’s growth spurt—pranks give way to principles, and the orchestration widens accordingly.

How It Was Made (supervision, score, behind-the-scenes)

• Score & Book: Music and lyrics by Don Schlitz; book by Ken Ludwig.
• Direction & Movement: Scott Ellis directed; David Marques choreographed; additional dance/underscore by David Krane.
• Orchestration & Music Direction: Michael Starobin orchestrations; Paul Gemignani musical director (according to IBDB).
• Design Spine: Heidi Ettinger’s sets (raft, cave, fence) drove staging vocabulary; Kenneth Posner’s lighting carved suspense; Anthony Powell costumes defined class and play.
• Recording Footprint: A CD sampler was cut Oct. 28, 2000 with principals and creatives; a full OBC remained unreleased. A composer concept disc also circulated.

Reception & Quotes

“Sunny and handsome but deflatingly bland.” — Charles Isherwood, Variety (2001)

“The best starting point for what’s right and wrong … are Heidi Ettinger’s sets.” — CurtainUp (2001)

“Joyous, wholesome, literate and wonderfully realized.” — Talkin’ Broadway

Sources: Playbill; IBDB; Music Theatre International; Variety; The New York Times; CurtainUp; Talkin’ Broadway; CastAlbums.org; Discogs; The Guide to Musical Theatre.

Technical Info

• Title: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer — Original Broadway Production
• Year: 2001
• Type: Stage musical (Broadway)
• Composers/Lyricist: Don Schlitz (music & lyrics)
• Book: Ken Ludwig
• Direction/Choreography: Scott Ellis (director); David Marques (choreography)
• Music Supervision/Direction: Paul Gemignani (musical director)
• Orchestrations: Michael Starobin
• Dance & Incidental Music: David Krane
• Design: Heidi Ettinger (sets); Anthony Powell (costumes); Kenneth Posner (lighting)
• Selected notable placements: Opening “Hey, Tom Sawyer”; Graveyard “Hands All Clean”; Courtroom “The Testimony”; Huck solo “It Just Ain’t Me”; Cave climax “Angels Lost” ? “Light”.
• Release context: Opened April 26, 2001; closed May 13, 2001; 34 previews, 21 performances (Minskoff Theatre, NYC).
• Label/album status: No wide-release OBC; promotional sampler recorded Oct. 28, 2000; composer concept album issued independently.
• Availability: Stage rights via Music Theatre International; archival clips circulate online.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Subject	Relation	Object
Don Schlitz	wrote music & lyrics for	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001 musical)
Ken Ludwig	wrote book for	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001 musical)
Scott Ellis	directed	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001 musical)
David Marques	choreographed	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001 musical)
Paul Gemignani	served as musical director for	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001 musical)
Michael Starobin	orchestrated	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001 musical)
David Krane	composed dance/incidental music for	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001 musical)
Heidi Ettinger	designed sets for	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001 musical)
Kenneth Posner	designed lighting for	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001 musical)
Anthony Powell	designed costumes for	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001 musical)
Joshua Park	starred as	Tom Sawyer
Jim Poulos	starred as	Huckleberry Finn
Kristen Bell	starred as	Becky Thatcher
Linda Purl	starred as	Aunt Polly
Minskoff Theatre	hosted	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Broadway, 2001)
Music Theatre International	licenses	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (stage rights)