Cappies Review: McLean High School's 'Big Fish'

By Natasha Shukla of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Would you rather be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond? You’ve heard the saying a million times, but how many times have you really thought about it? The McLean Theatre Company’s production of “Big Fish” takes you on an epic adventure with Edward Bloom and his son, Will, as they answer this question for themselves while simultaneously trying to strengthen their fragile relationship.

“Big Fish” started its journey as a book, “Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions,” written by Daniel Wallace in 1998. In 2003, Tim Burton’s stellar film adaptation received Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe Award nominations. A musical adaptation taking inspiration from both the book and the movie opened in Chicago in April of 2013, starring Norbert Leo Butz as Edward Bloom and Bobby Steggert as Will. That September, “Big Fish” the musical opened on Broadway and finally became a big fish of its own, living in an even bigger pond.

The story follows Edward Bloom, a travelling salesman known for his tall tales and outsized ambition. Instead of reading bedtime stories to his son Will, he often told stories of his own supposed life - of a fortune-telling witch lurking in the woods, his first kiss with a dazzling mermaid, and his dear friend Karl the Giant, to name a few. At various milestones in Will’s life, such as his wedding and the birth of his own son, he questions how much he really knows about his father and how much is just a story. When Will’s mother, Sandra, tells him of Edward’s cancer, Will flies in with his pregnant wife Josephine to make the most of the time Edward has left, and to get to the bottom of who his father truly is.

The Bloom family had very well-defined relationships and kept the story moving at a pace that was just right. Alex Stone’s performance as Edward Bloom captivated audiences with his high energy and charisma. Watching him switch between a sixty- and a twenty-year-old (in flashbacks) in a matter of seconds truly added to the surreal aesthetic of the show. Rachel Lawhead was the sweetest southern belle around in her charming portrayal of Sandra Bloom, Edward’s wife. Jack Posey, as Will Bloom, expertly balanced a sense of grown sophistication and youthful curiosity throughout the show, and had very natural chemistry with his on-stage wife Josephine Bloom, played by the compelling Emma Gold.

The supporting roles had very strongly developed characters while the ensemble did an excellent job of adding dimension to each scene. The Witch (Helena Doms) enchanted the audience with her irresistibly taunting personality. Between Karl the Giant’s (Matt Lucero) wildly entrancing deep voice and Amos Calloway’s (Will Stockton) playful spirit, the comedy kept on coming. The Circus Ensemble featured many shocking individuals, from an extremely strong man to dressed-up gorillas carrying humans in cages, contributing to the outlandish images of “Big Fish.”

The technical aspects of this show tied everything together in a spectacular array of silk aerialists, impressive lighting effects, and realistic projections, astounding the audience scene after scene. The show had breathtaking choreography, done entirely by students. In fact, McLean Theatre Company’s show was almost entirely student-run. They worked together and succeeded in giving this show its iconic “larger than life” feel, truly embodying the concept of “Big Fish.”

PHOTO (left to right): Alex Stone and Jack Posey perform in McLean High School’s production of the musical “Big Fish” Saturday, Feb. 28. Photo by student Isabelle Zapoata; See more photos from the performance on the theater company’s Facebook page.