Activity #3 Singing Time

After listening to the complete soundtrack to "Big Fish", my favourite songs overall were "Fight the Dragons" and "Time Stops". "Time Stops" was very cliché and perhaps even cheesy, but that is actually the reason why I like it the most. This song is sung by Edward and Sandra and it gives the audience a bit of a backstory for these characters and is very important as it leads up to their marriage. It is very cheesy, but I like that it takes the saying that says time stops when you see the person you truly love, and portrays it in the literal sense.  When I listen to this song, I envision an obvious circus setting with some hay bales, barrels, and a cannon on the sides of the stage. Amos would be standing center stage right with the Alabama Lambs standing in a triangular or straight line formation just to the left of him. Edward and some other circus performers standing center and down stage left. When Edward begins the song, everyone except himself and Sandra literally freeze as time stops.
My least favourite song had to be "Red White and True" because I found it confusing at first, and then even a bit annoying. It is sung when Edward is telling a bedtime story to his boyscouts, and it is sung by Sandra and some chorus girls. To make this song more entertaining and engaging for the audience, we could change the lighting onstage to red when Edward battles "Red Fang the Poison Assasin", and just make sure that the costumes and facial expressions really emphasize whats going on in the story.
Both of these songs fit well to the play however, because they help build Edward's character- like almost all the songs in the production do, and they are important to the overall storyline.

Activity #2 Musical Time

After watching the musical "Big Fish", I realized how challenging this musical can be. If not portrayed correctly in a way that keeps the audience engaged and clear on what is happening, it can turn out very confusing and at times boring for the audience. On the other hand however, if it is portrayed correctly and efficiently, "Big Fish" can be an entertaining, heartfelt story that the audience can connect with and enjoy.

The scenes that stood the most to me was the scene with the witch, and the scene where Edward sees Sandra and goes on to work loyally for Amos for three long years just to find out more about a beautiful stranger. The most powerful scene in my opinion was the final scene though. It is just very cool to see all of the characters of Edward`s stories come together as he was dying. It proves that these stories were real in a way, and they were definitely a big part of Edward`s life. It is also quite moving at the very end when we get a glimpse of how Will is raising his son: just like Edward did, but him and his son have a closer relationship. The witch scene stood out because it is an important story of Edward's, for if not for this moment, he might not have been the brave character he was. The witch gave him hope and courage to face scary moments because he knew for sure that these moments wouldn't be his last. This scene also teaches the audience a bit about Edward's "friends", and the song that goes along with it makes it more fun and intriguing. The scene where Edward sees Sandra stood out to me because it was romantic, and a really heartfelt moment in the play. I can't wait to see how this scene turns out! `
"Big Fish" is a musical that may effect everyone differently. There is a very clear and heartfelt moral lesson in this production, and that to me is that we should enjoy life while we can, and have fun taking control of your life and "being the hero of your story". Although death is inevitable, that doesn't mean that you can't lead an exciting and memorable life.
The Big Fish metaphor represents Edward Bloom in his small "pond" or town that was Ashton. He was always thinking larger than life, and was bound to be more than a big fish in a little pond. He took control of what was in front of him and left Ashton behind him: seeking an adventure that could suit his big personality and aspirations. Understanding this storyline really helps me to get into character for the upcoming production. I am better able to see my role and how it fits into the overall musical, and I can understand the message that I am responsible for helping to portray.