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S2 E12 - Big Fish Musical - Behind the Scenes · Inside the OSD

• 0:00
  SPEAKER1: Today we are at the Oregon High School Performing Arts Center to get a behind the scenes look at the upcoming production of Big Fish The Musical.
• 0:10
  We're talking with director Mike Ducett along with a few cast members.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER2: Welcome to this episode of Inside the OSD podcast, where it's all about the kids.
• 0:21
  Here is your host, lifelong educator in our superintendent, Doctor Leslie Bergstrom.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER1: So as we can see, rehearsals are in full swing and we want to hear all about it.
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  So, Mr.
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  Ducett, could you start by introducing yourself and telling us a little bit about your role at OHS and with this production?
• 0:42
  SPEAKER3: Yeah, my name is Mike and I've been here at OHS since 2005, and I work in the English department as an English teacher.
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  And I also get the pleasure of directing some of the plays and musicals here at the high school, and have been doing so since around 2010.
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  SPEAKER1: And I take it that's a job you're particularly interested in, because that's something you liked to do also?
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  SPEAKER3: Oh, yeah, that was, uh, kind of my bread and butter for me in my high school years as well.
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  So it's always been kind of important for me to, um, you know, give those experiences to other kids as the way I have those experiences as well.
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  And it's a great opportunity to work with kids in a way that's not in the classroom and not evaluating their work or giving them grades.
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  You just get to know them differently.
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  SPEAKER1: So that's fun. So Big Fish may not be a familiar production to everyone.
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  So without giving anything away, what can you tell us about this musical?
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  Yeah.
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  SPEAKER3: So most people are probably familiar with a movie that starred Ewan McGregor, um, in the early 2000s, and it's a basic story about a man
• 1:39
  named Edward Bloom, who was a larger than life kind of, uh, person.
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  He's a salesman, and he he tells these tale -- these tales that have a mix of fantasy elements into them, like he's met a giant, and he's got a best friend
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  who, uh, sorry, his best friend is a giant.
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  He's met a mermaid. He's met a witch who tells him about his future.
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  And his son, uh, Will Bloom has a real hard time reconciling these stories because his son ended up as a journalist and lives in a world that's very clear
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  cut and black and white.
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  And so he doesn't buy it, right?
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  And he's on a search to kind of know his true father, and he thinks his father is hiding something from him.
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  And, uh, while he is, it's not the deep, dark secret that he always thought it was.
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  And it's a -- it's a funny musical with a lot of fun music, but it also is very sentimental and touching because Edward, the main character, does face his own
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  mortality towards the end of the play.
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  SPEAKER1: All right, that's -- okay, you made that sound really interesting.
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  Oh, yeah. So I hope that people -- Gotta sell those tickets!
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  People are listening and willing to to show up because man, that sounds cool.
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  Okay, you know what else is cool is what you're using as a background.
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  So this is the first time, right, that you're, you're using this pretty new technology and this is the way most theaters are doing it.
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  The background is actually a digital projection.
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  SPEAKER3: Yeah. So we've, uh, making some groundbreaking, groundbreaking, I'm sorry, groundbreaking, uh, stuff here in the theater.
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  This is the first time we've done a full show with a projection screen background where, um, there's elements of the set on stage that are very real
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  and very texturized, but the but the digital projections behind us give all the context for the scenes we're in.
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  They move. They're animated, they move with the characters.
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  And so it's really kind of a new way to approach theater.
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  And so, um, luckily we decided to explore this.
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  This is the perfect show for this kind of, of, uh, technology because there are so many different settings, including many fantastical elements that come alive
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  much, uh, clearer through that screen.
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  And so it took renting a projector.
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  I think the price tag on that thing is, you know, almost six figure.
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  Uh, and so the rental costs were at least manageable for us.
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  And so, um, this is kind of the future and maybe this will be something we continue to use, but not every show is going to call for this as well.
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  SPEAKER1: I like that they're starting to practice.
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  You can hear the music in the background.
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  SPEAKER3: All right. Orchestra pits are getting in.
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  The orchestra students are getting in the pit.
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  SPEAKER1: That's awesome. So one thing I've always loved about our productions is the fact that there are students involved in every aspect of it.
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  So, um, can you talk about some of the roles in addition to the performers on stage?
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  SPEAKER3: So, um, of course, the students on stage are performing, but we have student musicians in the orchestra pit.
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  And it's really about a 97% student pit, which is really, really rare in high school to have that many talented students.
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  Um, further, uh, we have students behind the scenes that are operating, um, all the set changes.
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  We have students who are stage managers.
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  That's often a role played by an adult in other, um, school districts.
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  And then for our sound and lights, that's all done by students as well, students behind those boards designing the the show.
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  And so it's a very student focused program that allows students to gain skills that they may pursue.
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  And that post-secondary setting.
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  SPEAKER1: So tell me, what type of training do students undergo to be able to take on those roles?
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  SPEAKER3: Right. So, um, one, if you're interested in technical theater, we have a great tech club led by our director, Mr.
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  Mendl, and he is the one that kind of, uh, educates them on the ins and outs of lighting design and sound design.
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  Um, stage managing kind of comes as a mentorship through working with the directors and understanding, uh, and understanding the ins and outs of what the
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  show demands and when things are moving, where things are going.
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  Um, and so those are all usually students are showing some kind of real initiative and understanding and wanting to grow more in their talents, which I
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  think we offer a great opportunity for that.
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  SPEAKER1: For sure. So let's finally talk about logistics.
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  Um, when are the performances and how can families and community members get tickets?
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  SPEAKER3: The performances are February 23rd, 24th, and 25th, uh, at 7:30 on Friday and Saturday night with a 2:00 matinee.
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  Tickets can be found at the Oregon Performing Arts Center website, which is, I think, OregonPerformingArtsCenter.com.
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  Uh, so you can buy your tickets in advance.
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  You get to select your seats or if you'd like to come at the door, you certainly welcome to pay cash check or card at the door as well.
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  SPEAKER1: All right. Thank you. So now we're going to turn to our students.
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  So we'll first start with introductions.
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  So if you please share your name your year in school and then the role you have in the musical.
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  We'll Start here.
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  SPEAKER4: I'm Addie I'm a senior and I'm in the pit orchestra.
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  SPEAKER5: Okay. I'm Bridget, I'm a senior and I play Josephine Bloom.
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  I'm Erica, I'm a junior, and I play Sandra Bloom.
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  SPEAKER6: I'm Willem, I'm a junior, and I play Edward Bloom.
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  SPEAKER1: Very nice.
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  All right. So what made you decide to get involved with Big Fish?
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  Whomever wants to start can jump right in.
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  SPEAKER5: Um, I've been doing musicals since for, like, ever.
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  Um, and it was like, a no brainer to do it my senior year.
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  Um, I watched Big Fish when I was in seventh grade with our choir.
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  Okay, so all the seniors in the class were most of us in the cast, um, have all seen this show before, so it's, like, fun to come full circle and, like, end
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  this. Oh, yeah. End our years with something that we watched when we were younger all together.
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  SPEAKER1: Nice. Anybody else want to contribute to that one?
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  What made you decide to take the leap?
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  SPEAKER4: I mean, I've been in the pit since my sophomore year and I'm just super involved musically overall.
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  So again, it was like a complete no brainer just to be in it.
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  There was no question. It was like, "oh, you know, it's pit season."
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  SPEAKER1: Oh that's great.
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  That's great. So tell us about rehearsals and how they've been going so far.
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  SPEAKER6: Um, so rehearsals generally go from -- in the beginning, they generally go from like right after school.
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  So 4:00 until around 6:00.
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  Um, and then towards the end, like pre tech week, uh, it starts to get closer to 6:30 as we start doing active runs and
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  running the entire thing, putting the pit together with the actors on stage.
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  So the more, the more we put stuff together, the longer it becomes.
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  But it's really it's just about putting together the show and making it the pieces -- the pieces really fit together, like
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  like
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  SPEAKER1: he way they're supposed to.
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  SPEAKER6: The way they're supposed to.
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  SPEAKER1: Yeah, that makes sense.
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  How about you?
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  SPEAKER4: Uh, tech week is probably my favorite.
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  Um, although, like, rehearsals can be pretty long.
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  Um, you get to build, like, deep
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  connections with the people you're working with, and, um, it's all worth it at the end.
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  Like William said, you're putting everything together, and it's -- it's just a good thing.
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  SPEAKER1: I really enjoy the music, but I'm afraid it might be a little loud for us.
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  Oh, okay.
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  SPEAKER4: Yeah.
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  SPEAKER1: Okay. So what has been the highlight of the musical so far?
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  So everybody shares something.
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  What's been your highlight so far?
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  SPEAKER5: Um, for me
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  SPEAKER4: it's probably like running acts as a whole and like really seeing each scene like follow every other scene, um, and like putting the music with
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  the pit orchestra. That has been like one of my favorite things, because it's like all these students are coming together and like, combining their talents,
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  and it really pays off.
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  SPEAKER1: Oh yes.
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  SPEAKER5: I also love combining with the pit.
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  It's one of my favorite parts of theater.
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  Um, because like the weeks precursor-ing the pit we're, like, listening to these rehearsal tracks that just aren't the same, they, like, just don't have
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  that full sound. And then we get with the pit and you're like, "oh, everything makes sense now.
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  Like, I get it." I get why, like, this is going to be amazing.
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  SPEAKER1: Oh, Addie, are you feeling more important?
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  SPEAKER4: Yeah, it's the same for us, though.
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  We like it's, you know, we're sitting there, we're rehearsing a couple days a week generally.
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  And then, you know, we start rehearsing five days a week, um, these two weeks.
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  And it's just so exciting to, like, see, like all of us, the nights that we start combining, we're like, we're so excited.
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  Like, you can feel the energy everyone loves, like going in.
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  We all have our favorite songs, but like, we can't wait to hear them sing it.
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  It's just so -- It's so fun to hear everything come together.
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  And it's definitely like for me, getting to like, watch a lot of it right now, um, is pretty great to see, like all the hard work they put in and how it really
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  fits with the music. And then when it really clicks and we're like, actually like super together, it's awesome.
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  SPEAKER1: Uh, you're making me want to run out and try out for some community theater because this sounds like it's really energizing, you know, and that the
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  connection that you're making with other people, not just in the music or not just in the rehearsals, but in the performance itself, that sounds really
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  uplifting. So what would you say to other students who see this show and they aspire to get involved in future productions?
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  What's your advice to them?
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  SPEAKER4: Do it.
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  SPEAKER6: Just do it. Just do it.
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  SPEAKER1: Do you want to be more specific?
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  I mean, yeah.
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  SPEAKER6: Like there's there's -- it's very -- it's a very open, uh, group uh, at OHS, it's like just if you see
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  the poster in the hallway, uh, look, search the link on Google Chrome and fill out the form and then get involved because it's like -- it's -- it's as easy
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  as just figuring out what times rehearsals are and, um, what times auditions are.
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  In addition to that, there's also drama clubs, uh, when there's not a show time and just sort of being in drama club, you get to see sort of when like you'll
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  get reminded more about certain things and you just sort of involve yourself in the more of the community of it and less of the work ethic part of it.
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  SPEAKER4: Going off of that, um, like, there might be some people who are like, hesitant to join, but everybody has a role in it and like, no role is too small.
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  I mean, everybody contributes and like everyone matters.
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  So joining is good.
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  SPEAKER3: Yeah, yeah. And particularly for the musical we run a program where we don't cut anybody.
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  If you come we find a spot for you.
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  And if you say you can't carry a tune, we give you the bucket to carry it.
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  So really, you know, we welcome anybody and we welcome all kids.
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  SPEAKER1: Okay. I think that might be my favorite part.
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  Are you gonna think --say something, Bridget?
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  SPEAKER5: I was gonna say like you make connections for life.
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  Like, I've made so many friends from theater that I will hold for such a long time.
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  I'm going to be devastated to leave.
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  But I also know that it's like I'm going to stay friends with all the underclassmen and make sure that I come to their shows, too.
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  And it's just like you find your community and it's just like, feels really good to like, have a place.
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  Well, now that you
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  SPEAKER1: say that, it reminds me of the last show I attended.
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  And how many former students were there.
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  Yes. You know, coming to support.
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  Yeah.
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  SPEAKER4: Come back.
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  SPEAKER1: It's great. That is so nice.
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  Okay, so you really let into the next question because Addie and Bridget, you're seniors.
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  So what does it mean to be a part of this show the last year of high school?
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  Um.
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  SPEAKER4: It's like it's very sentimental.
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  I know the show kind of ends a little sad, and I think that'll that'll be hard.
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  But it's also really, like, just great to see all of our hard work come together.
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  Like, especially like freshman year, I wasn't, you know, in the pit because of Covid and but like the last three years have just been like it's always my
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  favorite time of year, knowing that I get to be in the pit for these two weeks and like, even though it's like so busy, it's just spending those two weeks
• 13:03
  nonstop with your favorite people and creating so many, like, new bonds and having all these people like surround you that you love so much.
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  Like, it's definitely it's definitely going to be hard to leave.
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  SPEAKER1: Nonstop with your favorite people.
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  I mean, that's that's really sweet.
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  SPEAKER5: Yeah. It's so meaningful to be able to, like, spend hours on end with my favorite people on this planet.
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  Um, especially because I don't really have classes with them outside of this.
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  So it's really exciting to, like, be able to be with those people for months on end and then like, it's gone.
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  So I like, really hold on to it.
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  SPEAKER1: Savor it. Yeah, really savor it.
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  Okay, so finally, why should our listeners and community members get tickets to Big Fish?
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  Why should they get tickets?
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  SPEAKER6: It's a really entertaining show.
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  Uh, it this show really has, like, aspects for everyone, which is what I like so much about the show.
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  It's like -- it's a -- it's a family show.
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  It's it's a show about family.
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  So everyone, anyone who likes like like that sort of story is like happy.
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  It's also a coming of age show.
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  You get to sort of see how all the characters grow from when, like they were young to when they're old.
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  Like not in a traditional coming of age sense, but like, you get to sort of see the entirety of every character and it's also fleshed out.
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  And then people who like comedies are going to be satisfied because it's also very funny.
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  Um, and then those of us who are very into sad and like sentimental stories are also going to be, uh, crying as well.
• 14:41
  Um, but it's just it's just a really fun show with a bunch of fun characters and like, it's it's I think it's the best show that I've seen from OHS.
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  SPEAKER1: Ah that's terrific.
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  Thanks for taking a little time to talk with us today.
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  We can't wait to see it.
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  I'm looking forward to the performance and I know our community is too.
• 15:02
  So thanks to our listeners for tuning in this week.
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  Big Fish performances are February 23rd through 25th at the Oregon High School of Performing Arts Center.
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  You can get your tickets online at OregonPerformingArtsCenter.com.
• 15:19
  Remember that you can find links to all episodes of Inside the OSD and submit topic ideas on our website at OregonSD.org/
• 15:29
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• 15:34
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• 15:40
  We'll see you next time on Inside the OSD where it's all about the kids.