‘Big Fish: School Edition’
an HVA musical April 25-27
Hardin Valley Academy theater and music students are reeling in its spring musical, “Big Fish: School Edition,” by Andrew Lippa with performances starting at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, April 25-26, and at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 27, in the auditorium of the school, 11345 Hardin Valley Road.
The performances are open to the public. Tickets, which are $10 for adults and $5 for students, can be bought on the HVA website: knoxschools.org/hardinvalley
“Our big hope is to sell out like we did last year,” said John McMeen, musical director, along with John Sides, director. “We sold out ‘Addams Family’ every night, so we’re trying to sell out ‘Big Fish’ every night.”
“This is our fourth musical together and our eighth show (together),” McMeen added about his collaboration with Sides.
The musical is by Andrew Lippa, the same composer as the above-mentioned “Addams Family.”
Yet, “this show couldn’t be anymore different than last year’s musical, so we’re excited about it,” McMeen said.
He added the musical follows the story of Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman “who lives a fantastical life,” and his son, Will, who “is skeptical of his father’s exaggerated stories as they grapple with family, truth and reconciliation.
“There are fictional characters, like witches, giants and circus folk,” McMeen said. “And, these are all the stories that Edward tells Will (about what will) happen to him in his life.
“Hence, that’s why Will is very skeptical of his dad’s made-up fantasy stories,” he added. “This is a very vocally challenging show for soloists.”
The cast has 44 students and a stagecraft team and tech production team of 16 total.
Jayden Sheard, a senior, plays Edward Bloom, while Edward’s son, Will, is played by James Parker, a sophomore.
“I feel great about it,” Sheard said. “It’s a really fun show to do. Edward Bloom is fun to act. He’s kind of childish, almost, even as an adult, but then farther into the show, I get to, kind of like, dive down into how he’s affected by his illness (cancer).And like, as a kid and young adult, he’s like immortal — and then as he’s older he realizes he’s not immortal.
“It’s fun to get to act that on stage,” the senior added.
For Sheard, he said the biggest challenge is having to be a teen, then age 30 and age 60 — in scene after scene.
Other lead cast members include: senior Madison Lambert, who plays Edward’s wife, Sandra; Aviia Hawkins, who plays a witch and “has the best song;” senior Anderson Rast plays Amos, the circus leader; senior Karl Adam Lunsford plays a giant, who will be walking on 2 ½-foot stilts; and junior Jaylon Carey, who portrays Jenny Hill, a lost love of Edward’s and also the dance captain for the musical, which she sees as her main role.
“Traci, our choreographer, teaches the dances on Thursdays and Fridays, and basically I’m in charge of learning them — and if we have time in class, I can watch (the dancers and) review the dances with everybody and critique them,” Carey said.
“I love her,” Lambert said about her character, Sandra. “I love how confident she is. That’s something I love to portray on stage. I think her story’s fun in how she gets to interact with the other characters.”
“There are a lot of fun ensemble numbers in the show ... the town people opening up the show, as well as circus folk, so a lot of kids in the cast get to be part of both the town people ensemble numbers and the circus ensemble numbers,” McMeen said.
Having a tap dance number, “that is the most challenging: for students to learn tap in less than three or four months for a show,” he said.
Sides’ stagecraft class and Steve Krempasky, who provided set design, built the musical’s set. Traci Lively leads choreography.
The musical will have an adult professional live orchestra and UT-Knoxville and HVA students playing in the orchestra pit.
