Lee County High School Players set to raise curtain on ‘Big Fish’

LEESBURG — The Lee County Theatre Arts Guild continues its 2016-2017 theater season Friday at 7 p.m. with “Big Fish,” a highly fanciful and funny new musical about fatherhood, family and forgiveness.

Based on the movie and novel by the same name, “Big Fish” introduces audiences to Edward Boom’s world of giants, witches and other larger-than-life characters while touching the hearts of the young and old alike. The production runs at the Clay Auditorium at LCHS through March 18.

“This is the return of our ‘town-and-gown’ musical that we haven’t done since 2014,” said LCHS Theatre Director Dotty Davis, “I was encouraged by several people, but Lawson and Sylvia Vann wouldn’t give up.”

The Vanns were founding members of the drama booster group in the early ‘90’s. Sylvia Vann retired from LCHS and began a career as a Lee County Board of Education member and was instrumental in the theater receiving SPLOST money to build a new, state-of-the-art scene shop.

“Mr. Vann passed away in February of this year,” Davis said. “It is fitting that this show is a man reflecting on his life and passing his stories down to his son.”

“Big Fish” tells the tale of Edward Bloom (played by Robby Davis and LCHS senior Cole Dziedzic), a man with a big heart and an even bigger imagination. Edward’s son, Will (played by senior Skyler Glass and Lee County Middle School student Jude Mullins) has grown up on his father’s stories of kissing a mermaid, befriending a giant and meeting Will’s mother, Sandra (played by Leigh Ann Young and LCHS senior Courtlyn Holt), at a circus.

Now a grown man recently married and expecting a child with his wife, Josephine (senior Hope Smith), Will has grown out of such tall tales. Will simply does not accept these stories and finds that he is drifting farther and farther away from his father. Nearly 40 students and adults work together to bring the unbelievable stories of Edward Bloom to life.

Robby Davis, Lee County’s Theatre Arts Guild Technical Director, is pulling double duty by appearing onstage and leading a group of designers, managers and technicians for the production. The show’s stage manager is senior Landon Clark, who is assisted by junior Anna Goode. All the technical staff are students who are interested in the production aspects of live theater.

“Big Fish” is directed and choreographed by Dotty Davis, with musical direction by Kevin Blaise. Costuming was accomplished by several parents under the direction of Lesley Parham and Leslie Dziedzic, along with special assistance from Patti McCrory of the University of Evansville in Indiana. A special tap production number was choreographed by Judy Dabbs.

Parents are advised that while “Big Fish” is highly entertaining for all ages, it does deal with some heavy themes such as cancer and the death of a parent.

Curtain dates and production times are Friday, Saturday, and March 16, 17, 18 at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $7 for students and children.