Big, The Musical
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- The correct title of this article is big, The Musical. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
'big, The Musical' is a Broadway musical adapatation of the 1988 Tom Hanks film Big.
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[edit] Overview
Directed by Mike Ockrent and featuring music by David Shire, big, The Musical is the story of a 12-year-old boy who becomes a man overnight after being granted a wish by a carnival genie. With his best friend by his side the boy must cope with his new adulthood while finding another carnival where he can wish to be a kid again.
The musical closed after 193 performances on October 13, 1996. Although it was nominated for five Tony awards, including best actress and actor, it was generally considered to be a flop.
Since the play's pre-Broadway tryout in Detroit in January 1996, a great deal of ink has been spilt about big- most of it involving some pun on the title. Opinions were sharply divided on the Broadway production, which ran April 28th to October 13, 1996 but not on the national tour, which was a hit after much rewriting from authors, John Weidman (book), Richard Maltby (lyrics), and David Shire (music).
[edit] Story
Josh Baskin, a 12-year-old boy in New Jersey, finds that whenever he meets pretty 13-year-old Cynthia Benson, he is unaccountably speechless. He doesn't understand his new feelings, but every family on the street knows what has occurred. For Josh, childhood has ended; adolescence has occurred, and the long complex process of growing up has begun. ("CAN'T WAIT").
Then Josh receives amazing news from his best friend, Billy Kopecki: Cynthia Benson thinks Josh is "cute." All Josh has to do is make a move tonight at the carnival ("TALK TO HER/THE CARNIVAL."). But making his move does not turn out as planned. Meeting Cynthia in line for a ride called Wild Thunder, Josh musters enough courage to "talk to her", only to find that she has a date who is 16. Worse, Josh is not big enough to be allowed on the ride. Humiliated, Josh skateboards away-and finds himself in a secluded byway of the carnival with fun house mirrors and a mysterious arcade game, ZOLTAR SPEAKS. The mysterious figure in the arcade box instructs him to "Make a Wish!" Impulsively, Josh makes the only wish on his mind: "I wish I was big!" The machine produces a card: "Your wish is granted." A clap of thunder, sudden rain-Josh runs home.
The next morning, Josh wakes up-and sees in his mirror the face of a man in his thirties ("THIS ISN'T ME"). Still a 12 year old boy, he now inhabits the body of a grown-up. His mother thinks he is an intruder and drives him from the house. Only Billy, his best friend, understands. Billy decides they must go to New York City, find an arcade with a Zoltar, and let Josh wish himself back to his old self.
But arcades in New York don't have Zoltars, and locating carnivals will take weeks. Josh will have to live in his grown-up body until then. Since he has no money Josh will have to get a job tomorrow. Billy returns to New Jersey, leaving Josh to spend his first night as a grown-up alone in the Port Authority Bus Terminal ("I WANT TO GO HOME"). The bus terminal is changed to a park bench in the tour version and rentable version.
The nest day, waiting for Billy under the clock of FAO Scharz ("THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE") Josh meets MacMillan, the head of a toy company whose sales have suddently plummeted. Josh, the 12-year-old that he is, tells MacMillan what his toys lack. What MacMillan sees however, is a 35-year-old man with an amazing insight into toys, children and (when they discover a piano keyboard they can dance on) having fun ("FUN"). MacMillan offers Josh a job.
Josh enters the grownup world of business. His innocence causes chaos. MacMillan throws out the company's Christmas toy. The company executives panic. Paul Seymour, V.P. in charge of product development, wants revenge ("JOSH'S WELCOME"). Susan Lawrence, V.P in charge of marketing, whose affair with Paul is just ending, finds herself attracted to Josh ("HERE WE GO AGAIN").
As a perk of his job, Josh is given a loft apartment. He furnishes it with toys. Susan arrives to make a pass at him. Misreading her intentions, Josh tries to find something they can do together ("DO YOU WANT TO PLAY GAMES?"), and finally turns on a toy planetarium that fills the room with stars ("STARS, STARS, STARS"). Beguiled, Susan finds herself spending the night with Josh-innocently in separate bunks. In the tour version Susan sings "Little Susan Lawrence" later that night after Josh is asleep about her first love.
At a company party, Paul learns of Susan's night with Josh and picks a fight with him. Susan comforts Josh and once again, his innocence wins her heart. MacMillian challenges his executives to come up with a new Christmas toy, and for starters find a way to relate to children. Josh suggests dancing ("CROSS THAT LINE"). He gets everyone to do a line dance, during which Susan kisses him a kiss unlike any he received as a boy. When Billy arrives to go to a Knicks game with Josh, Josh chooses to go off with Susan. The adult world is beginning to attract him.
ACT II: Begins in a suburban mall where Billy, angry at being jilted by Josh, seeks the company of other kids ("IT'S TIME"). He meets Josh's mother: today is Josh's birthday and the party would have been at the mall. Billy reassures her that Josh is coming home, which only makes Mrs. Baskin more aware of how fast Billy, and all the children have grown up ("STOP TIME").
The mall turns surreal, and becomes the scene of the birthday Josh is missing ("THE NIGHT-MARE"). Josh wakes up in Susan's office. They hace been up all night trying unsuccessfully to invent a toy. They try thinking as children instead of adults. Susan can't remember how she felt as a 13-year-old, but under Josh's prodding the memory returns ("DANCING ALL THE TIME").
The moment fills with emotion, Susan moves to Josh. The scene freezes. Young Josh appears to sing a duet with Big Josh about his inner feelings. ("I WANT TO KNOW").
The next morning, Josh barrels into the offive a new man ("COFFEE BLACK"). His secretary, Miss Watson, is bowled over. Not only does Josh feel like an actual grown-up, but during the night, he has thought up a Christmas toy. The executives help him develop it for MacMillan.
Billy arrives, having located a Zoltar. But Josh is full of himself and does not want to return to his former size. Billy accues Josh of betraying himself. Susan appears, kisses Josh. Billy gets the full picture and leaves. Susan invites Josh to a dinner party and they go to a "grown-up dinner party with Susan's grown-up friends".
The party is a disaster ("THE REAL THING"). Josh humiliates himself and realizes how far he is from being an adult. Susan takes this moment to tell Josh her true feelings for him. ("ONE SPECIAL MAN"), feelings that Josh is too young to return.
Josh tells Susan the truth: that he is really a 13-year-old boy. Susan, seeing only a grown man, assumes this is some kind of elaborate brush-off. It breaks her heart to have been wrong about another man again. Josh for the first time understands that being a grown-up is more than being big. It's being responsible - in this case, for someone who care for you. Being a grown-up is being a man (WHEN YOU"RE BIG").
He returns to his neighborhood, and watches boys and go through the first nervous motions of pairing off-events appropriate to being thirteen ("SKATEBOARD BALLET"). Josh finds Billy and tells him he wants to go home.
Billy has found a Zoltar in a warehouse filled with discarded remnants of amusement parks. Josh asks Susan to meet him there. Before he can make his wish and leave, he must say goodbye to make sure Susan understands. Arriving, Susan finally accepts the magic of what has happened to Josh. She tells Josh how he changed her life ("I WANT TO GO HOME/STARS, STARS, STARS (REPRISE)"). Then Susan tells Josh to make his wish. He does. Mrs. Baskin arrives with Billy; Josh runs into her arms. They hug and the play is over.
[edit] Original Broadway Cast
(In order of appearance)
- Cynthia Benson..........Lizzy Mack
- Young Josh..........Patrick Levis
- Tiffany..........Samantha Robyn Lee
- Maggie..........Lori Aine Bennett
- Mrs. Baskin..........Barbara Walsh
- Mr. Baskin..........Josh Sloman
- Mr. Kopecki..........Ray Wills
- Billy Kopecki..........Brett Tabsiel (Tony Nominee Best Featuring Actor in a Musical for the role)
- Mrs. Kopecki..........Donna Lee Marshall
- Carnival Man..........Clent Bowers
- Dereck..........Alex Sanchez
- Zoltar(Voice)..........Michel Bell
- Josh Baskin..........Daniel Jenkins
- Panhandler..........Ray Wills
- Arcade Man..........Frank Mastrone
- Derelict..........John Sloman
- Matchless..........Frank Vlastnik
- Paul..........Gene Weygandt
- Susan...........Crista Moore (Tony Nominee Best Actress in a Musical for the role)
- MacMillan..........Jon Cypher
- Starfighter..........Brandon Espinoza
- F.A.O. Sales Executive..........Joan Barber
- Birnbaum..........Frank Vlastnik
- Lipton...........Frank Mastrone
- Barrett..........Clent Bowers
- Miss Watson..........Jan Neuburger
- Deathstarettes..........Joyce Chittick, Clay Hardy
- Larry Johnson...........John Sloman
- Nick..........Ray Wills
- Tom..........John Sloman
- Daine..........Donna Lee Marshall
- Abigail..........Jill Matson
- Skatephone............Spencer Liff
- Kid with Walkman..........Enrico Rodriguez
- Skateboard Romeo..........Graham Bowen
[edit] Ensemble
- Parents, Shoppers, Executives and Office Staff..........Joan Barber, Clent Bowers, Joyce Chittick, Clay Hardy, Donna Lee Marshall, Frank Mastrone, Jill Matson, Jan Neuburger, Alex Sanchez, John Sloman, Frank Vlastnik, and Ray Wills
- The Big Kids..........Lori Anne Bennett, Graham Bowen, Brandon Espinoza, Samantha Robyn Lee, Spencer Liff, Lizzy Mack and Enrico Rodriguez
- Swings..........Stacey Todd Holt, Joseph Medeiros, Corinne Melancon, and Kari Pickler.
[edit] Understudies
- For Young Josh..........Graham Bowen, Spencer Liff
- For Mrs. Baskin..........Donna Lee Marshall, Joan Barber
- For Billy..........Graham Bowen, Brandon Espinoza
- For Josh..........Stacey Todd Holt, Frank Vlastnik
- For Paul..........Ray Wills, Frank Mastrone
- For Susan..........Jill Matson, Donna Lee Marshall
- For MacMillian..........Clent Bowers, Frank Mastrone
- For Nick and Tom..........Frank Mastrone
[edit] Orchestra
The original Orchestra was:
- Violins..........Suzanne Ornstein, Concert Master, Xin Zhoa, Martin Agee, Mineko Yajma, Mitchell Stein, Christoph Frangrote
- Viola..........Richard Brice, Nardo Pay
- Cello..........Clay Ruede, Roger Shell
- Woodwinds..........Albert Regni, John Moses, Dennis Anderson, Eric Wiedman, John Campo
- French Horns..........Ronald Sell, Micheal Ishii
- Trumpet.......... Joseph Mossello, Jeffery Parke, Dave Brown, David Gale
- Trombones..........Bruce Eidem, Dean Plank
- Guitar..........Andrew Schwartz
- Synthesizers..........Nicholas Archer, Brian Besterman, Patrick Brady
- Bass..........Chuck Bergeron
- Drums..........Paul Pizzuti
- Percussion..........Thad Wheeler
- Orchestra Contractor..........Ron Sell
- Music Preparations Supervisor..........Peggy Serra
[edit] Scenes and Musical Numbers
Most often the Musical is performed like the following
ACT ONE
Scene 1: The Baskin/Kopecki Neighborhood, "Opening" with Kid Josh, Mr./Mrs. Baskin, Mr./Mrs. Kopecki, Billy, Parents, Kids, Zoltar
Scene 2: The Baskin Home
Scene 3: The Baskin/Kopecki Neighborhood
Scene 4: Port Authority N.Y.C.
Scene 5: FAO Schwarz, "Time of Your Life" with Salespeople, Parents, Kids and "Fun" with Macmillian and Adult Josh,
Scene 6: Macmillian Toy Company, Josh's Office, "Macmillian Toys Two" with Adult Josh Paul, Susan, and The Executives
Scene 7: Josh's Apartment, "Do You Want To Play Games" wih Adult Josh, and Susan, "Stars" with Adult Josh and Susan, "Little Susan Laurence" with Susan
Scene 8: Macmillian Toy Company Holiday Party "Cross The Line" with Adult Josh, Kids, Macmillian, The Executives, Susan, and Dancers.
ACT TWO
Scene 1: The Baskin/Kopecki Neighborhood, "It's Time" with Billy, Kids, Dancers, "Stop Time" with Mrs. Baskin and "Nightmare" with Kids and Zoltar.
Scene 2: Josh's Office, "Dancing All The Time" with Susan, and "I Want To Know" with Kid Josh and Adult Josh.
Scene 3: Macmillian Toy Company, “Coffee Black” with Adult Josh, Susan, Macmillian, Miss Watson, The Executives, and Dancers
Scene 4: Nick and Abigail’s Apartment, “The Real Thing” with Nick, Abigail, Tom and Diane
Scene 5: The Roof/ Terrace of Nick and Abigail’s Apartment, “The Real Thing (reprise)” with Susan
Scene 6: The Baskin/Kopecki Neighborhood, “Big” with Adult Josh and Kids
Scene 7: The Storage Room, “We’re Gonna Be Fine” with Adult Josh, Susan, and Zoltar
[edit] Trivia
- The musical is often performed by schools and community theaters.
- The westcoast premier of Big, The Musical was done by Theatre Under the Stars (Vancouver)
[edit] Soundtrack
The sound track is available from Universal Music Company under the Decca Broadway Original Cast Album. There are 17 songs:
- Overture/Can't Wait. 5:20
- Talk to Her/Carnival/Zoltar Speaks. 4:59.
- This Isn't Me. 2:54.
- I Want To Go Home. 2:57.
- The Time of Your Life/Fun. 5:18.
- Josh's Welcome/Here We Go Again. 3:05.
- Do You Want to Play Games?/Stars, Stars, Stars. 4:25.
- Cross That Line. 4:30.
- It's time. 2:40.
- Stop, Time. 3:25.
- The Nightmare. 1:26.
- Dancing All the Time/I Want to Know. 6:48.
- Coffee, Black. 4:26.
- The Real Thing. 2:58.
- One Special Man. 2:18.
- When You're Big/Skateboard Ballet. 3:29.
- I Want to Go Home/Stars, Stars, Stars (reprise). 3:40.
