This spring, RB is performing the musical “Big Fish,” premiering on February 27 and running until March 1. 

Each year, the Theater Department directors get together to choose the plays that the department will perform. This year, they selected “Peter and the Starcatcher” for the play “Big Fish” for the musical. The musical is double-casted, meaning roles will be played by different actors while the show is running.

“‘Big Fish’ is about this family: Mom, dad, and a son; Sandra, Edward and Will. The story centers around Edward’s life, that is the character I play. He lives this kind of boring life, he’s a traveling salesman, and he isn’t really home a lot. When he is home, he likes to tell these really crazy, mythical stories to his son to make it seem like he has this incredible life,” said Beck Nolan, a senior at RB. “He continues this facade of telling these crazy stories his whole life, and his son has a hard time coming to terms with that. It is a family story, if anything.” 

The musical’s scenes are not in chronological order, which can make the play somewhat confusing if you don’t pay attention. 

“It’ll be harder to understand than … ‘Newsies,’ which is the musical we performed last year,” said Grace Fuechtmann, a sophomore at RB and one of the actresses playing the witch in the musical.  

“Most of the stories he [Edward] tells are only one scene, and the witch is only in one scene. The musical is double-casted, so I’m in one scene during the nights when I am the witch and other nights I’m in a bunch of scenes where I’m a part of the ensemble,” Fuechtmann said.

For many students in the theater department, the musical is a huge commitment that requires them to give it their all. 

“I’m super excited for the musical—I love theater, and we have a really good community here. But I have no free days except for Sundays until march. We have three-hour rehearsals like, every day, and six hours on Saturdays, usually,” Fuechtmann said.

The hours the cast put into the musical are long and filled with hard work to prepare. However, there are people among the cast and crew that make it all worth it.  

“It’s fun though, because our choreographer is great and she’s really fun. Her name is April, and we all love her. She’s so nice, and she’s really good at her job. Over winter break we had a lot of fun when we started learning one of the dances and we just got really into it,” Fuechtmann said. “I like the people a lot. I do it [participate in theater] mostly for the people. Though the theater aspect is really fun too, but the people are the biggest parts of theater culture definitely.” 

Brooke Craig agrees with Fuechtmann’s opinions on the theater department. 

“It’s fun, and I chose to be there, and I love it. I love the people, and I love everything about it, really,” Craig said.