WCT’s ‘big fish’ reels in laughter, tears

By Marilyn Jozwik

Published March 18, 2020

It was a surreal scene at Waukesha Civic Theatre Friday night as they presented their first – and only – performance of the charming musical “Big Fish” by John August.

Director Rhonda Marie Schmidt said before the show that the remaining performances would be postponed, as everyone was sorting out how to
proceed with the Covid-19 outbreak. It felt like a farewell to theater for the
coming months with gatherings being cancelled or postponed throughout the day.
It felt strange, in its normalcy, to be there, as nothing had seemed normal the
past few days.

 It’s ironic that the show itself is surreal. And to add to the whole dreamlike quality of the evening, the smoke alarm went off during the second act as the fog machine got a little too rambunctious and a nearly full house filed orderly outside for a
few minutes. Somehow, that seemed to fit right into the evening.

And, it was a wonderful evening of theater. There was an added sense of urgency among the cast to make this show something special. For so many reasons. The audience badly needed to be transported to the magical world theater can create. Plus, this very ambitious show had one shot to get it right … for the time being, at least.

And they got it right. It was a magical show, from Mark Neufang’s and Katie Berg’s portrayals of Eddie and Sandra Bloom to Lisa Quinn’s clever costuming. From the wonderful video backdrops that covered the entire back of the stage (remindful of Shen-Yun productions) to the fine orchestra led by Matt Byczynski.

The story is a father-son tale. Dad Eddie (Neufang) is a traveling salesman who makes up for his frequent absences by telling his son, Will, magnificent tales of his derring-do and other adventures that involve witches, a mermaid and giant – even a werewolf. The young Will (Logan Welter) is at first enchanted, but then becomes frustrated that his dad has missed so much of his life that he doesn’t even know what sport he’s playing.

The adult Will (Eric Bergendahl) opens the show just days before his marriage to Josephine (Alyssa Proell) and the tension still exists between Will and his dad. Will is serious and realistic – “born a middle-aged man” – wanting to know the facts of his dad’s life and not the fantasies. He compares his dad to an iceberg, in that you only see 10 percent of it. Eddie is happy to live in an alter-universe, especially since his health is failing, unbeknownst to Will.

When Will learns of his father’s illness, his desire to learn about his father’s real past – especially since he learns he’s going to be a father himself – becomes even more important.

Throughout the show Eddie’s past tales and adventures weave in and out of the present in big, wonderfully staged scenes such as The Swamp scene in which the Witch (expressively played by Margaret Teshner) and the Calloway Circus scene with its juggler, man on stilts, clever elephants and other colorful characters. By contrast, the present scenes are small and intimate, which means the major players must transition from big, bombastic ensemble numbers to the small, tender scenes with the Bloom family.

And this show shines in both.

Neufang as Eddie Bloom is incredible, with energy to spare in the production numbers and soft, emotional peaks with his family scenes. He adds a bright voice that stays nicely on top of his many tunes, always getting the feeling of the song.

As his wife, Sandra, Berg is the ideal partner. I last saw Berg in Lake Country Playhouse’s “Bridges of Madison County,” another heartfelt performance. She exudes a maternal quality, and gentle emotional peaks with her dying husband and tempermental son, and is just delightful to watch in the musical numbers, such as “The Little Lamb from Alabama,” featuring a song and dance trio in the circus, where Sandra first caught the eye of Edward. She, too, has strong, mature vocals that pair nicely with Neufang.

Bergendahl is wonderful as Will, keeping his no-nonsense demeanor that contrasts with his dad’s fanciful outlook. There are great dynamics within the family scenes that are very real, immersing the audience in the emotion.

All performances were well done, but I especially enjoyed Noah Maguire as the circus ringmaster and Christian Spaay as the Giant, Karl. Spaay moves around effortlessly on his stilts, and Quinn’s costumes help make him endearing. He also has a deep, rich bass voice for his tunes and a whimsical way with his character. Just a delight to watch!

This is a really strong cast musically, with nearly flawless solos, pleasant harmonies and a full orchestra presenting Andrew Lippa’s catchy music and lyrics in fine style. Choreographer Christal Wagner created energetic dance scenes. A special mention to Kara Penrose, fight and intimacy choreography, for enhancing the show with some expertly delivered punches and tender moments.