‘Big Fish’ at Theatre Frisco
—Carol M. Rice
Big Fish is a musical with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and book by John August. I’ve only seen it once before and remember very little about it, but I will definitely remember Theatre Frisco’s excellent production.
The musical is based on Daniel Wallace’s 1998 novel Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions, and the 2003 film Big Fish written by John August and directed by Tim Burton. (And if you know me, you know that I now need to read the book and see the movie.)
The “big fish” of the title has two meanings: one is that father Edward Bloom tells exaggerated stories – often tall tales – about his life. The other is that he has always been a big fish in a small pond, never really making anything of himself.
Or has he? Could his outlandish stories be based on truth? Has he actually accomplished great things?
These are the questions Edward’s son Will is trying to answer in the last days of his father’s life. As a child, Will loves his dad’s stories and believes them all, but as he gets older, he becomes frustrated that he doesn’t know anything real about Edward Bloom. What Will eventually learns shocks him (in a good way) and gives him a better relationship with and appreciation of his father.
As the show’s director, Scott Taylor has put together a fabulous cast, many of whom play multiple roles. Music director Joey O’Reilly ensures the vocals and harmonies are tight, and also serves as both a keyboardist and the conductor for the five-piece live band. Musicians Scott Eckert, Maristella Fuestie, Daniel Davidson, and Randy Linberg join him on Josh Hensley’s simple set; the band takes up over half the stage, which speaks to the importance of the music in this show.
Cooper Powell plays Edward Bloom as both a young man and an older one. As he is a younger man, he’s much more believable in the flashback scenes, but still comes across well as a man who is old and dying. Powell has a wonderful voice and especially shines in “Fight the Dragons” and “How It Ends.”
As Edward’s adult son Will, Austin Jon Hines brings out his frustration with Edward’s refusal to be serious. It’s obvious he just wants his dad to listen to him and really communicate instead of telling his “stories” all the time. Hines is able to make Will’s character unlikeable while still making us care about him and their son-father relationship. Hines’ rendition of “Stranger” gave me goosebumps, and he and Powell had excellent chemistry, even as they argued. And as the truth became known, their bond was lovely to see.
As Young Will, Theo Phelan has the unenviable task of trying to match the incredible energy of Powell in their scenes, but he does so with ease.
Christine Phelan does a beautiful job as Sandra Bloom, the love of Edward’s life. Her wide-eyed innocence as a young woman falling for him contrasts nicely with the more mature character she becomes over the years, and her song “I Don’t Need a Roof” is heartbreakingly lovely. She also has great chemistry with Powell, and their duets “Time Stops” and “Daffodils” are stunning.
The remainder of the actors have primary roles in addition to being part of the Ensemble, and they bring unique characteristics to them all. Kelly Hudson plays Will’s new wife and is a strong match for Hines. She isn’t afraid to tell him he needs to chill out, but she also understands when to back off, especially once her father-in-law is sick. Hudson and Christine Phelan are wonderful complements to the men in their lives.
As the Witch in Edward’s stories, Andi Allen brings Into the Woods vibes to her interpretation of the character...but she’s much nicer than that Sondheim Witch. Allen’s frequent appearances with the ever-changing crystal ball are always welcome, and her other characters are lots of fun.
Karl the Giant is a remarkable role played brilliantly by Shaun “Willow” Breland. The fact that Breland is able to dance on stilts is amazing on its own, but his deep bass voice – both singing and speaking – gives the character depth. When we ultimately see him without the stilts and crazy costume, he still towers over the rest of the cast!
As Edward’s high school girlfriend Jenny Hill, Syndee Hawkins has the most range when it comes to her character, going from high school cheerleader in the past to an older and wiser woman who has been through a lot. Hawkins is able to maintain some of the hope from the past while letting us see that things haven’t gone the way she wanted, and it is she who finally helps Will make a connection with his father. She gives a very nicely layered performance.
Landry Beckley plays one of the oddest characters in the show: Amos Calloway is not only the ringmaster of a circus, but a werewolf now and again. (???) As odd as that is, Calloway manages to make the role believable, and his transformation from hardened taskmaster to friend of Edward is fun to watch.
Bailey Lund makes a stunning Mermaid, complete with blue hair and purple tail. She gets to show off the most dancing of the cast and does a lovely job.
Adam McMahon plays the bully Don Price, accompanied by his wimpy sidekick and brother Zacky Price, played by Clayton Truman. These two are the perfect stereotypical pair, with McMahon as the muscle and Truman as the yes man. Both have excellent physical control while handling fight choreographer Elena Tirado’s brawls with Powell.
As Dr. Bennett, Sinan Beskok has one of the more serious roles, as he’s the one who realizes Edward is sick. Beskok has a great bedside manner and makes us realize early on that Edward isn’t just a patient, he’s also a good friend.
Kyleen Milton and Ki’Jon Robinson round out the cast as a Little Lamb (a singer in young Sandra’s musical group) and Strongman (a part of the circus). As with the rest of the Ensemble, they do a solid job disappearing into multiple roles.
Previously mentioned Hensley’s set generally works for the action, although in the deep thrust of the Frisco Discovery Center stage, Taylor occasionally leaves people in the shallow corners too long, blocking our view of the rest of the scene. Hensley’s lighting design also helps transform the simple set into many locations.
Costume design by Alison Kingwell does a wonderful job differentiating the characters and time periods. The fantasy characters (such as Karl the Giant, Mermaid, Witch, and ringmaster/werewolf ) are truly top-notch, and special kudos must go to the designs of Josephine’s wedding dress and Sandra’s stunning sparkly lavender number.
Rachel Velasco as props designer does some amazing work with daffodils, causing one to wonder if there are any artificial daffodils left in DFW, and Becki McDonald’s choreography in “Daffodils” is simple and effective. I do wish she had been given more space for the dancing in some of the bigger numbers, but the acting area just isn’t that large with the band taking up so much space.
Big Fish is a sweet story, and Taylor, O’Reilly, and McDonald have collaborated with their cast and musicians to make Theatre Frisco’s performances seamless and beautiful. Unlike the first time I saw it, this is one of those productions that will stay with me for a long time.
WHEN: July 24-August 9, 2026
WHERE: Frisco Discovery Center Black Box Theater, 8004 N. Dallas Parkway, Frisco TX
WEB: https://www.theatrefrisco.com/
