Cappies Review: 'Big Fish School Edition' At TJ High School

By Sarah Petz of Bishop Ireton High School

Let me tell you a story of love, loss, ambition, and fish? Well, that last one's just a metaphor.

Big Fish is a musical based on Daniel Wallace's 1998 novel of the same name and the 2003 Tim Burton film adaptation. With music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and book by John August, the show premiered in Chicago in 2013 before opening on Broadway later that year. Big Fish is a fundamentally human story centering on the complex relationship between imaginative and slightly eccentric storyteller Edward Bloom and his more cynical, practical son, Will Bloom. The story follows Will coming to terms with his father's illness and struggling to cope with his Father's more fantastical spin on life through the stories he shares with his son.

Large, exaggerated, over-the-top movement defined Nathan Thomas's Edward Bloom. His mannerisms displayed the character's kookier side, making him right at home in the fantastical worlds of his stories. His charisma in the larger numbers commanded the stage and highlighted Thomas's wonderful switch to a dying, conflicted old man in "This River Between Us." Thomas displayed a powerful belt and a range of complex emotions in "How It Ends."

Gabby Licayan's Sandra Bloom shone in her masterful vocal performance. Licayan's clear, melodious tone hit every emotional highlight and low light, shining in an angelic but heartbreaking "I Don't Need a Roof." Her fun physicality in "Magic in the Man" displayed her enduring hopefulness while keeping her older mannerisms at the forefront.

From pained facial expressions to large, frustrated gestures, Will Bloom, played by Prajeet Chitty, gave a powerful, raw, emotional, and compelling performance. Songs such as "Strangers" and "This River Between Us" showcased Chitty's range from angry adult to confused lost son, imbuing the character with contrasting sarcasm to his father's quirky personality. The larger-than-life, literally, physicality of Ella Tysse's Karl the Giant made her a standout comedic and empathetic performance. Impressive platform boots never held her back, and Tysse utilized the boom and thud to further characterize and imbue spirit into her role.

Edward's stories were brought to life by Dani Hunter, Lux Robles, Daniel Salinas-Flores, and the TJTA Set Team, creating incredibly immersive environments. Large set pieces, including the Bloom House and hospital beds (with working electric equipment), were well executed and polished. Ella Clarke, Anthony Drozd, Charles Bucher, and Nikhil Vattathara's lighting further impressed, imbuing the set and certain props with LED strips to further colorize this world. The set team and lighting team's use of the Cyc was especially impressive as it distinguished locations, contrasted reality and fantasy, as well as displayed characters' emotional states. Sound effects similarly highlighted songs like "This River Between Us," where thunder crashing and rain effects worked harmoniously in tandem to create striking song finales.

Combining creative technical elements and stunning vocal performances, TJ Theater Arts created an incredibly emotional and compelling spectacle sure to resonate with any audience.

Big Fish School Edition was performed at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology on April 25 and 26 and May 2 and 3.