‘Big Fish’ opens Wednesday at Moonlight
Enjoy a fantastical, heartwarming spectacle with the musical “Big Fish,” opening Wednesday at Moonlight Amphitheatre, 1200 Vale Terrace in Vista.
The show runs through Saturday, Sept. 26. Shows are Wednesday through Sunday nights; curtain is at 7:30 p.m. The gates open at 6 p.m. for picnicking and dining.
Tickets range from $24 to $52; discounts for seniors, students and military are available.
Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays are Family Night, with $24 tickets for adults and $10 tickets for children. Friday night prices are $31 for adults and $15 for children. Child tickets are for kids age 15 and under.
The musical “Big Fish,” was adapted by Andrew Lippa from the 2003 Tim Burton film of the same name (which was adapted from the 1998 novel “Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions,” by Daniel Wallace).
It revolves around the relationship between Edward Bloom, played by Josh Adamson, a traveling salesman; and his adult son Will, played by Patrick Cummings. Will, about to become a father himself, tries to look for the truth behind the tall tales his father told him as a child.
In the storybook past, Edward encounters a witch, a giant, a mermaid and the love of his life, Sandra. The story features two time lines: the present, and the fantastical past of the tall tales Edward told Will.
“There’s tons of fantasy sequences,” said Steve Glaudini, the show’s director. “It’s a beatuful father/son story, and it’s hilarious. It’s a huge, huge spectacle.”
The show’s cast also includes Bets Malone as Sandra Bloom, Andi Davis as Josephine Bloom, Dustin Caithamer as Karl, Cris O’ Bryon as Amos Callaway, Shirley Johnston as The Witch and Ralph Johnson as Dr. Bennett.
Glaudini said “Big Fish” features several big production numbers. “There’s a huge ensemble number and a huge, splashy tap number,” he said. “It’s a huge production.”
The sets for the show are also elaborate. “We had to build a trough in the orchestra pit for a mermaid,” said Glaudini.
In addition to big song-and-dance numbers, Glaudini praised the show’s quieter moments. “It’s larger-than-life in many ways, but there are also intimate scenes between husband and wife and father and son,” he said. “The solo moments hold your attention just as much as the big production numbers.”
This will be the San Diego premiere of the show, which debuted in New York in 2013. It closed after a few months of performances.
Glaudini said he chose the show because he felt it had a lot of heart and would appeal to the audiences at Moonlight. “I can’t believe it didn’t have success in New York,” he said. “I hope it has the same success with the audience here (at Moonlight) as “Catch Me If You Can”did.”