Edward Bloom has told fantastic, glorious stories all of his traveling salesman life. But rather than being a source of wonder for his son, Will, it has created a distance between them. Now Will, about to be a father himself, wants more.
“Big Fish is a musical based off the movie [and novel] about a father and son. The conflict is that the son wants his father to tell the real story,” says Mitchell Greco, who is directing and choreographing the regional premiere of Big Fish, the musical, for Stages Repertory Theatre.
But time is running out; his father is dying from cancer. “So there’s a time limit,” Greco says.
The musical premiered on Broadway in 2013, and Stages is using a revised version developed in Boston calling for 12 parts. Actor Kregg Dailey plays the father and is called upon to sing, dance and act. “Luckily we have a deep talent pool here in Houston,” says Greco, which made it possible to cast from among local actors.
“There’s a lot of larger-than-life moments,” Greco says, adding there are also ample opportunities for dance.
“It’s sweet; it’s funny; it’s sad,” says Greco. “We’re trying to accomplish the sense of wonder and the fantastical nature of the stories he tells as well as delving into the pain of you think you don’t know who your father is.”
Performances are scheduled for May 18 through June 26 at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays at 3201 Allen Parkway. For information, call 713-527-0123. $21 to $54.
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 4, 2016.
