Tony Award-nominated actor Patrick Wilson will lead an industry reading of a newly updated edition of “Big Fish.” Tony winner Jerry Zaks will direct the private presentation, which is being produced by Michael McFadden and Katy Lipson of TRW Production, by special arrangement with Steve Spiegel of Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW). The presentation, which is being billed as Broadway bound, will be held on Feb. 7 in New York City.
Wilson will star as Edward Bloom alongside Tony nominee Jordan Donica as Will Bloom, Nikki Renée Daniels as Sandra Bloom, Hannah Cruz as Josephine Bloom, Tony nominee Alexander Gemignani as Amos Callaway, Nicholas Ward as Karl the Giant, Rema Webb as the Witch, Haven Burton as Jenny Hill, David Hull as Don Price, Mike Wartella as Zacky Price, Lance Roberts as Mayor/Dr. Bennett and Emjay Roa as Young Will Bloom. Rounding out the company will be Lauren Blackman, Trista Dollison and Arianna Stucki. Casting for the presentation is by Craig Burns/the Telsey Office.
Featuring a book by John August and a score by Andrew Lippa, “Big Fish” is based on the 1998 novel by Daniel Wallace and its subsequent 2003 Columbia Pictures film adaptation which features a screenplay by August. The musical follows traveling salesman Edward Bloom and his proclivity for telling larger-than-life stories to his son, Will.
Wilson is a two-time Tony nominee for leading turns in “The Full Monty” and “Oklahoma!” He is slated to make his Broadway producing debut with the upcoming musical “The Lost Boys.”
Donica and Gemignani have each received a Best Featured Actor in a Musical Tony Award nomination, Donica for the 2023 revival of “Camelot” and Gemignani for the 2018 mounting of “Carousel.”
Daniels most recently appeared on Broadway in “Once Upon a Mattress,” while Cruz appeared in “Suffs.” Ward, Webb and Burton all appeared in musicals that opened in the 2023-2024 season: “Lempicka,” “Hell’s Kitchen” and “How to Dance in Ohio.”
Hull, an alum of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” is known for his role on the television series “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” Wartella originated the role of Mike Teavee in “Charlie in the Chocolate Factory” on Broadway. Roberts will appear in the upcoming Bobby Darin bio-musical “Just in Time” and Emjay Roa appeared in Theatre by the Sea’s production of “The Bodyguard.”
Zaks is a veteran director who has won Tony Awards for helming “Guys and Dolls,” “Six Degrees of Separation,” “Lend Me a Tenor” and “The House of Blue Leaves.”
“Big Fish” first opened on Broadway on Oct. 6, 2013 and played for 98 performances before closing on Dec. 29.
Additional information regarding the reading is available by contacting info@trwproduction.com.
