Big Fish (musical)

This article is about the Broadway musical. For other uses, see Big Fish.

Big Fish
File:Bigfish.png
Music	Andrew Lippa
Book	John August
Basis	John August's screenplay for the 2003 film Big Fish and Daniel Wallace's 1998 novel Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions
Productions	2013 Chicago tryout 2013 Broadway

Big Fish is a musical with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and a book by John August. It is based on Daniel Wallace’s 1998 novel, Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions, and the 2003 film, Big Fish. John August wrote the screenplay for the film.

Big Fish centers on Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman who lives life to its fullest. Edward's incredible, larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him – most of all, his devoted wife Sandra. But their son Will, about to have a child of his own, is determined to find the truth behind his father’s epic tales.

Production history

Produced by Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen in association with Stage Entertainment, the musical had a five-week out-of-town tryout at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre in April 2013.

Big Fish is set to premiere at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre on October 6, 2013, with previews beginning September 5, 2013.

Directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, the cast features Norbert Leo Butz, Kate Baldwin, and Bobby Steggert, with scenic design by Julian Crouch, costume design by William Ivey Long, music direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, and orchestrations by Larry Hochman.

Musical numbers

Act 1

• The God's Honest Truth
• This River Between Us
• I Know What You Want
• Born For The Water
• Bigger
• Sandra's Wish
• Little Lamb From Alabama
• Time Stops
• Closer To Her
• Daffodils

Act 2

• Red, White and True
• Fight The Dragons
• Showdown
• I Don't Need A Roof
• Start Over
• Time Stops (Reprise)
• What's Next
• How It Ends

Critical response

Early and out-of-town reviews for Big Fish have been very positive. Variety called it "[A] wholly satisfying show: meaningful, emotional, tasteful, theatrically imaginative and engaging," and concluded:

[B]y taking Edward’s tales as the jumping-off point for the theatricality of production numbers, the show makes a case for the musical form itself as a means of privileging imagination over ordinariness. The show does have a target audience after all, and it’s those who love musicals.

Chris Jones of The Chicago Tribune said:

[I]n the best moments, you feel like you're watching something deep and powerful, sourced by a work of fine literature, propelled into awareness by a potent film and, most crucially of all, a story that makes us feel we can control, if not transcend, the story of the end of our lives.

External links

• Listing Internet Broadway Database