How to go
What: “Big Fish”
When: Opens Friday, May 6, and ends its run on Saturday, May 14. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Cincinnati
Cost: $20-$24
More info: 513-621-2787 or www.cincinnatiarts.org
The Broadway version of “Big Fish” comes to the Aronoff this weekend, and while most directors would simply be excited to stage such a popular story, for the Cincinnati Music Theatre’s, Skip Fenker, it’s a little more personal.
“My father was a traveling salesman, he told stories (though not quite as fantastical), and his name was Edward,” he said.
“Big Fish” is about the prickly relationship between traveling salesman, Edward Bloom, and his son, Will. Due to his job, Edward was frequently away from home when Will was growing up, compensating by telling his son extraordinary stories about his adventures, which included encounters with a witch, a giant, a mermaid and a giant catfish he supposedly caught by using his wedding ring as bait. As an adult and about to have a son of his own, Will decides to retrace his father’s steps and discover the truth about his life on the road, unsavory as it may turn out to be, while Edward himself is slowly dying from terminal cancer.
“Big Fish” was originally a 1998 novel by Danial Wallace. It was adapted into a hit 2003 film by Tim Burton. The musical version, which draws from both the novel and the movie, debuted on Broadway in 2013.
“The journey of Edward is pretty much the same as in the film,” Fenker said. “The book is actually pretty sketchy. But (the musical) is between the two. There is a whole new town in the musical, and there are things in the film that aren’t in the musical.”
As this is the regional premiere of the “Big Fish” musical, Fenker said he’s been getting a lot of positive buzz.
“It’s striking more of a chord with fans of the film and fans of musical theater,” he said. “There are a lot of people who like Andrew Lippa (who wrote the music and lyrics for the musical). The book isn’t as well known.”
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