What if I told you— you could change the world with just one thought? I think the thought you might think would be “please let me somehow get my hands on some tickets to see Big Fish at Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre.” And it’s going to take a miracle to get your hands on those because the run is sold out. And rightfully so, the show itself is stupendous, thoroughly engaging, emotionally invested, and all-around impressive. Directed by Leigh K. Rawls with Musical Direction by Paige Rammelkamp, and Choreography by Billy Luzier and Eld Trombley, this novel-come-film-come-stage musical, is a wondrous delight on the “Theatre Under the Stars” stage (when it’s not raining, of course!)
While the set is functional and truly serviceable to the show that’s happening on stage, it isn’t much to write home about in the way of aesthetics, although Set Designer Daniel Snyder and Scenic Artist Gigi Kingsland make the Orchestra band-stand look like a charming front-porch in Alabama. Snyder’s use of the slide-out window off stage left (or house right) is clever and functional for all of the quick-switches that have to happen throughout the performance. Stage Manager Cory Holthaus and the backstage crew (Stephanie Bernholtz Leuschner, Nick Denn, Thomas Digby, Julie Gormley, Steve Garvey) ensure that that rolling bed is flying in and out with precision and you get a clear delineation between when it’s a ‘childhood bed’ in the past verses when it’s the ‘hospital bed’ in present times.
Costumes are on point and perfectly pleasant for this production. With a show that sweeps from 1950’s through to ‘present day’ and a whole bunch of fantasy characters/fantasy-style dream-sequences, it puts a tall order up to the Costume Department. Designer Linda Ridge, with Consultant Lisa Chadwick, and the assistance of Kamila Avila, Susan Gilson, Lynn Kellner, and director Leigh K. Rawls, we get everything from 1950’s dresses, war costumes, witchy wonders, and just about everything you could think of in-between. I won’t go on a tall-tale adventure a la Edward Bloom talking about these costumes, but the most impressive ones are those red, white, and blue sparkle-spangle numbers featured on the dancing-gal corps during “Red, White, and True.” They even shoot sparklers and bottle rockets from their skirts!** Overall, Ridge and her team of merrymaking costumers have really kitted out the show’s sartorial selection in a way that speak to the truly fantastical elements of the libretto, engaging the audience with both the reality and the fantasy of the show.
Paige Rammelkamp and her orchestra of 42*** are creating lush, vibrant sounds for each of the musical numbers as they unfold. Completely undercover of that porch-style overhang, the musicians are safe from the overhead deluges of mother nature and provided quality sounds from start to finish during the performance. With Rammelkamp on keys, Trent Goldsmith on keys2, Mari Hill on reeds, Allyson Wesley and Joseph Reid on trumpet, Noah Nicholson on violin and tuba, Bob Ryan on banjo and mandolin, Carter Grimes and Jefferson Hirshman on guitar, Reid Bowman on bass, and William Georg on drums, you get sweeping, almost cinematic sounds from that orchestra, which fills up the open-air house sublimely. Rammelkamp keeps the orchestra balanced and never has to vamp to cover scene changes, making for a solid experience from the pit.
When it comes to dancing, Choreographers Billy Luzier and Elda Trombley have got you covered. “I Know What You Want”, which features some of those wild, chimerical costumes, has swamp-dances that will just delight and surprise, while “Red, White, and True” steals the show with those dazzling dancing costumes tapping and swinging their hearts out. The choreography is clean and carefully placed on the ‘smaller-than-you-might-realize’ stage of ASGT. Luzier and Trombley find ways to take the 50’s aesthetic into their dance routines as well, keeping anything that’s overly modern out of the movements.
With a strong ensemble (Scott Benedict, Kirsti Bennett, Connor Bland, Samantha Curbelo, Reagan Davey, Kaitlin Fish, Danielle Kellner, Jeremy Limansky, Sydne Lyons, Jayden Maduro, Colleen Prior, Ellen Quay, Nicole Ricucci, Emily L. Sergo, Davis Wootton-Klebanoff, Mary Zajic,) you get rich and robust sounds whenever the company has to sing as a whole, particularly during “Ashton’s Favorite Son” and “Closer to Her.” Nearly everyone in the ensemble doubles up as a named supporting character— like the blissfully cheery Mermaid, as played by Kaitlin Fish, who makes her debut behind that clever, clever window that’s placed in the set, or Emily L. Sergo whose powerhouse vocals soar through “I Know What You Want” as The Witch. Sergo has a great reveal, appearing from behind those swooping-witch-wings worn by the others in the ensemble during her moments as the witch. You also get a demure sweetness from Ellen Quay, playing Jenny Hill, although her character isn’t really featured until deep in the second act. Quay present a well-balanced, innocent but earnest character out of Jenny Hill and her interactions with Edward Bloom from the ‘past of Ashton’ are really heartfelt and somewhat heartbreaking to watch. You get Jeremy Limansky and Jayden Maduro as Don and Zachy Price, the knuckleheaded dingdongs from Edward’s past as well Connor Bland and Davis Wootton-Klebanoff, as Karl the Giant and Amos Calloway, respectively, from the stories that formed his future. Wootton-Klebanoff has a slick voice that well-serves “Closer to Her” and his embodiment of the snake-oil-salesman-style carnie is delightful to watch.
In a unique series of circumstances— and no, this isn’t a tall tale— after opening Thursday and Friday were called on account of the storm…opening “Saturday” started off with a proper bang, only to get two and a half songs into the second act…right when there’s a simulated rain storm in the show (you can’t make this stuff up) and Sandra is about to start singing her solo, “I Don’t Need a Roof”…the actual sky opened up and the performers had to call for a hold, which ultimately resulted in the remainder of that evening’s performance being cancelled. This reviewer got to return on Sunday evening to ‘second-act’ it and catch the remainder of the show. Which wouldn’t create a series of special circumstances, generally except for that the young gentleman who had played Young Will on Saturday evening, Joel Wojciehowski, was now being playing by a different young gentleman, Nico Cabrera. Wojciehowski, as the rambunctiously adorable Young Will was perfect in the role, as was Nico Cabrera. The pair present two adorably different takes on the character, with Wojciehowski leaning more into the adorable innocence of the character and Cabrera taking a more ‘too-big-for-his-britches’ approach. Both performed “Fight the Dragons” admirably with Edward Bloom, and both are just precious to watch on stage, particularly at the top-and-tail of “Red, White, and True” when they deliver their curious questions about one of their father’s tall-tales. There’s also a couple of moments where Wojciehowski (on Saturday) and Cabrera (on Sunday) share these knowing glances with their older self, Will (played by Matthew Rigby) and it just does quite the number on the heartstrings.
Speaking of Will, the grown-up version, Matthew Rigby does an excellent job of navigating this complex character. There’s a danger of making him dismissive and cold or simply aloof and disaffected but Rigby balances a strong sense of humanity— equal parts exacerbation and frustration against a deeper desire to simply know the truth and love his father— into Will, making him a character whose journey in which the audience readily invests. It’s Edward Bloom’s story— make no mistake, the character is on stage for almost 90% of the performance and actively too— but Rigby makes Will every bit a part of that narrative in the most intriguing ways possible. You get a glorious sense of his vocal capabilities as well during “Stranger” in the early bits of Act I but also during “Stranger (Reprise)” and his part in “Showdown” (which really ought to be renamed Showdown Hoedown.) There’s just some real visceral emotions going on for Rigby as he tackles the character of Will, not the lest of which is him trying to keep his temper calm when addressing his poor wife, Josephine (Taylor Hinds, to whom the libretto does a great disservice but not really giving her much to do.)
Tackling a character that has to be lively and engaging and interesting is challenging enough, add to that the component of having to play a character at two different ages during its lifetime, flipping fluidly and seamlessly between the past and the present and you’ve got the situation of Big Fish in a nutshell. Alyssa Wellman Houde does a brilliant job with this challenge, as does Josh Mooney, in their respective roles of Sandra Templeton Bloom and Edward Bloom. Their chemistry— from their first meeting through to their present-day involvement— is delightful. Houde has a boisterous personality when she’s playing her younger self, particularly when she bursts into “Red, White, and True” with that patriotic-pride sound that resonates resplendently through her solo feature of the number. You get the sense that the character has aged (shout out to Leigh K. Rawls and the cast for designing wigs and makeup) when you see Houde as Sandra in present day but her voice still has that nostalgic sense of youthful winsomeness to it, particularly when she’s singing “I Don’t Need a Roof.” Houde is also convivial and congenial in her role as both mother and wife, and she interacts well with both of the young lads playing Young Will. Vocally, she’s both her own sensation and a perfect compliment to Josh Mooney’s Edward Bloom, and you get to hear as much when their voices finally come together for “Daffodils.”
Big Fish is a show supported fully by the incredible ensemble of characters that Director Leigh K. Rawls has gathered together (and run with impeccable timing in her scenic transitions, spatially aware blocking in her scenic exchanges, and rich, fulfilling dynamic character arch development from her keen understanding of the libretto), the role of Edward Bloom is an enormous one. Bigger than Everest, one might say. And Josh Mooney lives up to the expectations of that larger-than-life character exponentially. Finding his own footholds in the character’s rich backstory will simultaneously paying gentle homage to both Albert Finney (as the aged version of Edward Bloom) and Ewan McGregor (as the younger version), Mooney is a raving sensation in the role. You get a flawless Alabama accent that is both lively like a swamp-hopping gator but believable. And it never gets in the way of the words he’s saying, is completely intelligible, and carries with surety into his singing voice. Mooney’s facial expressions are second to none and you get a fully engaged, expressive experience watching him react and respond to the situation, particularly when he feels like he’s under attack leading into “Showdown”, which is arguably the most ludicrous number in the production, save for maybe “Red, White, and True.” “What’s Next” becomes this glorious vocal and emotional rollercoaster ride shared between Mooney and Matthew Rigby’s Will, while “Fight the Dragons”, is in earnest, one of the most touching numbers that Mooney gets to deliver. You won’t be able to take your eyes off of him in this production. And the way he slips from being a sickly older man into a vivacious, overly-animated young fella on the great adventure of life is just wild, for lack of a more descriptive word. It’s fascinating and captivating. Mooney is the whole shebang when it comes to playing Edward Bloom.
There may not be any sparklers shooting off of skirts…but there sure is a whole lot of talent populating that stage, making theatrical magic for all of the audiences. They even convinced mother nature to rain down during “I Don’t Need a Roof”**** So if you can get your tickets to this spectacular musical theatre adventure, then you’re doing yourself a stupendous favor.
Running Time: Approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes with one intermission
Big Fish plays through September 1st 2024 at Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre— 143 Compromise Street in Historic Annapolis, MD. The remainder of the run is **SOLD OUT** To check for last-minute ticketing availability, please call the box office at (410) 268-9212 or check the ticketing website.
**That might be a tall-tale…but it sorta looked like they were shiny enough to shoot sparklers and bottle-rockets…
***Okay…it sounded like 42 musicians…
****rain effect not guaranteed at every performance
