Big Fish Musical Sets Opening Date for Pre-Broadway Run in Chicago; Creative Team Announced

The pre-Broadway run of the new musical Big Fish will open at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre on April 21, 2013. Directed and choreographed by five-time Tony winner Susan Stroman (The Scottsboro Boys, The Producers) and starring two-time Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz (Dead Accounts), the musical will play the Oriental Theatre April 2 through May 5. A move to Broadway is likely to follow in the fall of 2013.

The creative team for Big Fish will feature Julian Crouch (set design), William Ivey Long (costume design), Donald Holder (lighting design), Jon Weston (sound design) and Benjamin Pearcy for 59 Productions (projection design).

Based on the 1998 Daniel Wallace novel of the same name, Big Fish  centers on the charismatic Edward Bloom (Butz), whose impossible stories of his epic adventures frustrate his son Will. As Edward’s final chapter approaches, Will embarks on his own journey to find out who his father really is, revealing the man behind the myth, the truth from the tall tales. A 2003 film adaptation directed by Tim Burton starred Billy Crudup, Albert Finney, Ewan McGregor and Jessica Lange. The musical will feature music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and a book by John August, who also wrote the movie adaptation's screenplay.