FDSH Presents "Big Fish" - from The Messenger

Fort Dodge Senior High is hard at work to present its 92nd annual musical, “Big Fish,” which is based on Daniel Wallace’s 1998 novel “Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions” and the 2003 film “Big Fish.”

“‘Big Fish’ is a story with two major themes,” Director/choreographer Mary Jo Laupp said, “… dealing with one’s own mortality and what exactly makes a good father.” 

Set in Alabama, “Big Fish” is a story that revolves around the relationship between Edward Bloom (Collin Ellsbury), a traveling salesman, and his adult son, Will (Kane Freeman). The story actually shifts between the present world and a storybook past.

In the present, Will is faced with the fact that he is about to become a father and he is determined to discover the secrets behind his father’s epic tales. Edward’s failing health leaves Will with little time to get to the bottom of his father’s story. While Edward has spun larger-than-life tales for his family, Edward is afraid that he hasn’t left enough of a positive mark on the world and that his was a small, easily forgotten life.

In the storybook past, Edward starts out as a teenager and encounters a Witch (Alaine Porter), a Giant (Joey Kelley), a Mermaid (Desiree Pineda), and the love of his life Sandra (Olyvia Selby).

As moments from Will’s childhood and the present are woven together, Edward and Will seek to find common ground. The past and present stories converge as Will discovers a secret his father never revealed.

Curtain Thursday and Friday is at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Fort Dodge Middle School auditorium. Tickets are on sale now at www.showtix4u.com and can also be purchased at the door. Tickets are $8 for students and $12 for adults.