Reel it in: Big Fish is swimming downriver and into Building R (Performing Arts Center) on Nov. 10, and according to the show’s director Jesus Perez, this play is not one to be missed.
“It’s a simple story told in a big way. We as adults will tell people the story of our lives the way we saw it. It might not be as big, or it might be bigger,” Perez said.
Edward Bloom (Rick Rapp), a traveling salesman, is also a storyteller — and a lot of the stories he tells just seem too good to be true. He and his son William (Hunter Little) have a strained relationship, due to the fantastic tales Edward told. But after Will’s mother, Sandra (Marisa Boynton), tells him that his father has fallen ill, Will and his fiancée Josephine (Marisa Axelrad) rush back to his hometown. Once there, William finally starts looking for the truth in his father’s stories to reconcile with his dad in his final days.
“You get to see these stories the dad told brought to life through props, and set, our actors, but you also see the way Will sees it, which is more realistic,” said Harper student and cast member Hunter Little. “And there’s a perspective shift when they get closer.”
With the help of Joseph Jefferson Award nominated guest directors Jesus Perez and Carolyn Brady, the magic of Big Fish is being whittled to technical perfection. The lighting, projection, costume and set designers are also of high esteem — Ethan Newman, Mickey Fergus, Jane Debondt and Paul Dombrowski, respectively. Between the four of them, the production team has talent that’s graced a wide array of stages, from the New York theater scene to Drury Lane Theater in Oakbrook Terrace to even Disney.
According to Perez, the collaborative effort of putting on a show like Big Fish is much bigger than the end product: it represents an opportunity within the community for them to discover their potential.
“Some [actors] have a lot of experience, some have very little, and to watch those experiences meld and them mentor each other, it shows the enormous amount of passion and heart,” Perez said. “And for some, it’s just being tapped into.”
Uplifting young actors by showing them the ropes of a real production fosters creativity, and creates a safe environment to learn and grow. The professionals have a space to have fun and collaborate, and pass their knowledge onto those who have just arrived on the acting scene.
Student actor Hunter Little has performed in high school productions before, but with Big Fish, Little expresses that this is the first time he’s really felt like he is acting in a professional environment.
“I was voted in my high school yearbook quotes most likely to be a musical theater actor,” Little said. “I know nothing, except for those [high school] shows I was in.”
Working with industry professionals and seasoned talent gives new actors an idea of what working on a professional show might be like. And this experience may lead to a lifetime dedication to the art.
“When you see that theater bug bite, you know they’re in trouble […] It’s not an easy life, but it certainly is a rewarding and fascinating life,” Perez said with a grin.
It’s evident that the bug has bitten, because Little himself said he’s always excited to “go back for more.”
The cast and crew are immensely passionate about the project, and hope the community will come out and support their efforts. The show runs for two weekends, and the whole crew grows eager with anticipation.
“It’s theater at its best. We’re gonna do everything all out,” Perez said. “There are giants, there are mermaids, there are witches, just a great theater experience.”
