NewsPHOTO CALL: Big Fish, Starring Norbert Leo Butz and Kate Baldwin, Opens on Broadway; Red Carpet Arrivals, Curtain Call and Cast PartyThe new Broadway musical Big Fish, a father-and-son tale based on the 1998 novel by Daniel Wallace and the subsequent 2003 film by John August, makes a splash at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre, where it officially opened Oct. 6, following previews that began Sept. 5.
By
Matthew Blank, Joseph Marzullo
October 07, 2013
Directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman (The Producers, Contact, Show Boat, Crazy for You), the work features music and lyrics by Grammy and Tony nominee Andrew Lippa (The Addams Family) with a book by Grammy and BAFTA Award nominee August.
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Big Fish, Starring Norbert Leo Butz and Kate Baldwin, Opens on Broadway; Red Carpet Arrivals, Curtain Call and Cast Party
Big Fish, Starring Norbert Leo Butz and Kate Baldwin, Opens on Broadway; Red Carpet Arrivals, Curtain Call and Cast Party
The new Broadway musical Big Fish, a father-and-son tale based on the 1998 novel by Daniel Wallace and the subsequent 2003 film by John August, makes a splash at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre, where it officially opened Oct. 6, following previews that began Sept. 5. Read the Playbill.com story.
108 PHOTOS
Kirsten Scott, Ben Crawford and Sarrah Strimel
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Ciara Renee
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Ciara Renee
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Brad Oscar
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Zachary Unger
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Krystal Joy Brown
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Bobby Steggert
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Bobby Steggert
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Kate Baldwin
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Kate Baldwin
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Norbert Leo Butz
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Norbert Leo Butz
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Bobby Steggert, Norbert Leo Butz and Kate Baldwin
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Brad Oscar, Krystal Joy Brown, Bobby Steggert, Norbert Leo Butz, Kate Baldwin and Zachary Unger
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Big Fish opened Oct. 6 at the Neil Simon Theatre
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Krystal Joy Brown, Bobby Steggert, Norbert Leo Butz, Kate Baldwin and Zachary Unger
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Brad Oscar, Krystal Joy Brown, Bobby Steggert and Norbert Leo Butz
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Brad Oscar, Krystal Joy Brown, Bobby Steggert, Norbert Leo Butz, Kate Baldwin and Zachary Unger
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JC Montgomery, Kirsten Scott, Ciara Renee, Brad Oscar and Krystal Joy Brown
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Norbert Leo Butz and Susan Stroman
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Susan Stroman
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Bobby Steggert and Norbert Leo Butz
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Julian Crouch, Norbert Leo Butz, Andrew Lippa, Susan Stroman and Kate Baldwin
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Norbert Leo Butz
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John August
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Taylor Bagley
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Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus
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Sierra Boggess
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Zach Braff
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Jimmy Buffett
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Jess Cagle and Dan Jinks
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Mario Cantone and Jerry Dixon
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Bruce Cohen
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Zoe Colletti, Nicolette Pierini, Amanda Troya, Quvenzhane Wallis and Eden Duncan Smith
Two-time Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Catch Me If You Can) tells the "big fish stories" in the musical adaptation, in which he stars as Edward Bloom opposite Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow) as Sandra Bloom and Tony Award nominee Bobby Steggert (Ragtime, Off-Broadway's Giant) as Will Bloom.
Click here for audio tracks from Big Fish that feature Butz and Baldwin.
Also in the cast are Krystal Joy Brown (Leap of Faith, Hair) as Josephine Bloom and Zachary Unger (Chaplin) and Anthony Pierini (Mary Poppins) alternating in the role of Young Will with Ryan Andes (The Red Box at SoHo Rep), Ben Crawford (Shrek, Les Misérables), J. C. Montgomery (The Scottsboro Boys, The Color Purple), Tony Award nominee Brad Oscar (The Producers, Nice Work If You Can Get It), Ciara Renee (Broadway debut) as The Witch, Kirsten Scott (Follies, Hairspray) and Sarrah Strimel (Rock of Ages, Young Frankenstein). Big Fish, according to press notes, "centers on Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman who lives life to its fullest… and then some! Edward's incredible, larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him – most of all, his devoted wife Sandra. But their son Will, about to have a child of his own, is determined to find the truth behind his father’s epic tales. Big Fish is about dreaming, loving and living bigger."
The world premiere of Big Fish began April 2, prior to an official opening April 19, at Chicago's Oriental Theatre, where it played through May 5.
The new musical has scenic design by Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award winner Julian Crouch, costume design by five-time Tony Award winner William Ivey Long, lighting design by two-time Tony Award winner Donald Holder, sound design by Los Angeles Drama Critics Award winner Jon Weston, projection design by Drama Desk Award winner Benjamin Pearcy for 59 Productions, musical direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, orchestrations by Larry Hochman and dance arrangements by Sam Davis.
"Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions" was first printed in 1998. In December 2003 an acclaimed film of "Big Fish" was released by Columbia Pictures directed by Tim Burton, starring Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange and Helena Bonham Carter. The film was nominated for an Academy Award, Grammy Award, four Golden Globe Awards and seven BAFTA Awards.
Big Fish is produced by Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen and Stage Entertainment USA with Roy Furman, Edward Walson, James L. Nederlander, Broadway Across America/Rich Entertainment Group, John Domo, and in association with Parrothead Productions, Lucky Fish, Peter May/Jim Fantaci, Harvey Weinstein/Carole L. Haber, Dancing Elephant Productions, CJ E&M, Ted Liebowitz, Ted Hartley, Clay Floren and Columbia Pictures.
Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or by calling (866) 870-2717.
The Neil Simon Theatre is located at 250 W. 52nd Street. Visit BigFishTheMusical.com.