FAYETTEVILLE-MANLIUS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT — Fayetteville-Manlius High School continues its run of the musical of mythic proportions “Big Fish” this weekend.
The next shows taking place in the auditorium of the school at 8201 E. Seneca Turnpike in Manlius are happening today, Saturday, March 16, with a 2 p.m. matinee followed by an evening performance at 7. Tickets can be purchased through fmmusical.com.
Originally a novel by Daniel Wallace, “Big Fish” was adapted to the silver screen as a feature film directed by Tim Burton that starred Ewan McGregor, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange and Helena Bonham Carter. It was later turned into a Broadway musical starring Norbert Leo Butz.
The plot follows a larger-than-life man by the name of Edward Bloom and how his true self eludes his son. As the story jumps around in time and goes on an emotional rollercoaster coursing through moments of joy, humor, empathy, darkness, grief and acceptance, the son, Will, starts to separate fact from fiction and piece together the puzzle of who his dad was and is.
The musical is the local district’s 17th and last with Carlos Mendez Jr. as the K-12 coordinator of music. Mendez is retiring after 25 years at F-M and 33 years of teaching altogether.
Though he acknowledged that “Big Fish” might not have as much name recognition as the shows that came before it, “The Little Mermaid” and “The SpongeBob Musical,” Mendez said he was sure it would surprise audiences with how much they enjoyed it because the musical showcases a “beautiful story” that appeals to adults and kids alike.
Hannah Komar, the show’s choreographer, said it was interesting on her part incorporating an Alabama-specific stomping style to fit the show’s down-south setting. She also said that the whole feel of the show emphasizes community connection, from the overarching message right down to the ensemble’s dancing.
“It’s a story that can touch anyone,” she said just before the second weekend of shows. “We have all experienced loss in our life. We’ve all had these experiences as a child growing up with a parent, or a parent’s point of view watching a child grow up. Any person who walks into that theater is going to walk out moved in some way.”
Shawn Hebert, the vocal music director and co-director of F-M’s production who tallies “Big Fish” as his 11th musical with the district, said the students who participated this year were focused, prepared and supportive of each other. He often refers to the annual musical’s cast, crew and instrumentalists as the biggest team at the school since there tends to be 100-plus individuals taking part and coordinating everything.
Senior Justin Dunn, who played both a younger and an older Edward Bloom and had seven quick changes, said he was pleased that F-M picked “Big Fish” as its musical because he first saw a version of it at a professional theater 10 years ago and fell in love with the profound, powerful messages it gets across.
“I’m happy that this is my senior show,” said Dunn, who took on a thick Southern accent for the production. “I think we’re really going out with a bang here.”
Delaney Steele, who played Sandra, said it was like a “big family reunion” whenever she and the other participants in the musical showed up for rehearsals or got together offstage. She stressed that everyone put all the heart and soul they had into the production, to the point that each person was integral to bringing out the story’s hopefulness, playfulness and poignancy.
“Everyone is so incredibly important to the show, and we couldn’t do it without every single person we have,” Steele said.
Mendez said he has always appreciated the opportunity given by F-M to put on a production over two weekends rather than just one. He said doing one weekend of two or three shows can feel like a letdown because the students want to keep going after that closing night.
He and Hebert agreed that doing two weekends offers a chance to go “another notch higher.”
“To live in it for a week in between is beautiful,” Hebert said. “The kids are sort of basking in the glow, they get to process it for a while, and then the second weekend is always magnificent and it can even be a step up.”
Going into the run of shows at F-M, Andrew Lippa, who wrote the music and lyrics for the original stage adaptation of “Big Fish,” sent over a video thanking the school district for putting on the production while wishing Mendez happy tidings.
