By Ford Rasmussen
The collective preparation of students and faculty at the Caine College of the Arts wrap up with the launch of the school’s final theater production.
The musical “Big Fish” is composed of a cast of 20, including both theater and opera students, six music students and a two-page list of behind the scene workers.
Show preparations began a year and a half ago, said director Jason Spelbring. Spelbring and the show's designers were mindful of getting the ball rolling for designs and materials in advance, he said.
This production required “probably over 60 or 70 costumes,” Spelbring said. Many of the cast members play multiple roles requiring quick costume changes during the production.
The props master, Robin Perry, said the college has a pretty big stock of costumes, but most of the main character's costumes were built from scratch.
Ally Thieme is a graduate student who has been working on the costumes.
“It’s been fun, but really hectic,” Thieme said. “One character can come off stage and they have to go back on as another character within 30 seconds.” The actors must be able to change their costumes really fast, she said and rigging the costumes so that can happen took a lot of time.
“It’s always fun to see the reactions of people who haven’t seen the costumes being worked on, or haven’t seen the set before,” she said.
Spelbring said the time available allowed them to put more into the detail of the production, so “visually, it will be beautiful.”
“It was a big show,” he said. “And it took a lot to get it up and running, but that’s what big shows do.”
The show which opens today will run until April 22. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Caine College of the Arts Box Office. Students with a valid ID can see the show for free.
