Big fish: High school edition

Book by John August, Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa

The fantastical musical Big Fish centers on the relationship between Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman who tells incredible, larger-than-life stories, and his son Will, who seeks to find the truth behind his father’s tales. The story seamlessly transitions between the present-day realistic world and the magical, imaginative scenarios of Edward’s past. This production required distinct, rapidly changing environments, including: a mundane hospital room, a humble front porch, a mythical swamp, a circus, and a massive field of daffodils.

To create these contrasting worlds, I designed a multi-layered set that utilized dynamic projections against large, shifting wooden plank flats. These large grey flats framed the stage and served as a textured backdrop that could instantly adapt to the story's location. For expansive scenes, we used a vibrant, floor-to-ceiling projection to establish the bright, romantic atmosphere, contrasted with hundreds of fake yellow daffodils lining the orchestra pit and stage edge to draw the audience into the moment.

Because of the high school setting, I prioritized versatility and rapid transitions over heavy scenery. We utilized various wagons and drops to achieve this. A detailed, standalone front porch wagon was used for realistic scenes in Alabama, which could be rolled on and off quickly. For imaginative sequences, such as the swamp, we utilized specific atmospheric lighting effects and flew in elements like rope swings, transforming the textured wooden backdrops from a circus arena into a mystical forest without requiring a full set change.

Overall, Big Fish was an inspiring and rewarding design challenge. From the initial concept of balancing realism and fantasy to watching the projections bring the stage to life during tech week, I truly enjoyed the collaborative process of bringing this imaginative story to the stage.