Tony Award nominees Kate Baldwin and Bobby Steggert will join previously announced two-time Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz in the Broadway debut of new musical Big Fish, producers have announced. The tuner will open at the Neil Simon Theatre on October 6, 2013, with previews beginning September 5. The show travels to Broadway after its world premiere in Chicago at the Oriental Theatre this April.
Big Fish will be directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman (The Producers), with music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party) and book by Grammy Award winner John August (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
In addition to Baldwin (Giant) and Steggert (Ragtime), the production will also feature Krystal Joy Brown (Leap Of Faith) and Zachary Unger (Chaplin), Ryan Andes, Ben Crawford, J. C. Montgomery, Brad Oscar, Kirsten Scott, Sarrah Strimel, and Katie Thompson. The cast of 27 includes Preston Truman Boyd, Alex Brightman, Bree Branker, Joshua Buscher, Robin Campbell, Bryn Dowling, Jason Lee Garrett, Leah Hoffman, Synthia Link, Angie Schworer, Lara Seibert, Tally Sessions, Cary Tedder and Ashley Yeater.
Based the novel by Daniel Wallace and the 2003 film starring Ewan McGregor, Big Fish is a modern fable centering on charmer Edward Bloom (Butz), whose stories of epic and largely unbelievable adventures irritate his by-the-books son Will (Steggert). As Edward approaches the final chapter in his own story, Will sets out to sleuth whether his father is an average man with tall tales or an unbelievable hero of truth.
In addition to McGregor, the original film—directed by Tim Burton—also starred Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange and Helena Bonham Carter. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 2003.
