Story:

Big Fish is set in Alabama and centers around the relationship between a father named Edward Bloom (played by Jeff Lowe) and his son Will, played by two actors portraying him as a kid and an adult. Jason Brewer plays Kid Will, and Jared Price plays Older Will. Their entire relationship is centered on his father’s stories, which take the form of tall tales (think Paul Bunyan or John Henry). When Will discovers his father has cancer, he goes on a mission to find the true story of his father’s life before he’s gone for good.

The story is the star when it comes to this show. While some of the songs can be pretty touching, the connection the audience makes between the father and the amazing mythical and regular individuals we meet throughout makes the play special. At its core, it is a story about believing and how our beliefs shape us as people.  

Cast members with Rachel Oliveros Catalano as The Witch in the regional premiere of BIG FISH

 Set:

The stage design by Bradley Kane is a full wooden paneled stage with neon blue lights set on the bottom of the location to symbolize the ponds and rivers of Alabama. I would describe the design as simple but technical in just the right spots.  

Acting:

Jeff Lowe plays the central character of Edward Bloom as charming and manages to pull off Bloom as an obnoxious but lovable guy with a good heart. His performance is a textbook example of someone who understands and manifests a character on stage. I’ve seen the movie version, and I’ve seen bigger productions of the musical on stage. Lowe made this character his own. The lighter and more understated performance of Edward Bloom worked for me.  

She isn’t in the show very long, but I enjoyed the performance from Rachel Oliveros Catalano as the Witch. The choreography used to bring her onto the scene and her singing during the song “I Know What You Want” was one of the show’s highlights for me.   

While I’ve never really been a fan of the songs in this musical, there are some standouts. “Be a Hero” is a prime example. The creator must have known it because the show starts and ends with it.

What works in this show are the dramatic acting moments and the fantastic dance choreography from Kelly Todd that’s folksy and a little goofy. The Chance Theater goes all out with the dance choreography and enriches the show.     

I quite enjoyed Tim Burton’s Big Fish when it came out. Honestly, in my eyes, it was the film that reignited his career, as I was pretty disappointed in most of the new work he had accomplished by that point. Chance’s rendition of this musical brings it back in a great way. While it makes the story a little simpler, it also makes for a better show.