Every December, many students at Atlantic High School prepare to take part in the spring musical in different ways. Students prepare to perform on stage by acting, singing, and dancing along to the chosen piece.

Being on stage is not the only aspect for the musical. Some students prefer to be in the pit, playing their musical instruments to the wide variety of songs that move the plot of the musical along. Others like to be behind the scenes moving set pieces, designing costumes, controlling the lights and sound and preparing makeup for the actors as part of the crew.

This year, students will be preparing to fill these roles for the musical selection of “Big Fish.”

Musical director Jennifer Gaesser said she is very excited about this show. According to Gaesser, “Big Fish” has something to offer everyone. “There are some sad moments, as well as some funny moments,” Gaesser said. She went on to say that there is also “a lot of variety of motion in the show.”

Jarrod O’Donnell, who conducts the students in the pit with playing the melodies for the show, and Gaesser started considering the show “Big Fish” after it was introduced to them by fellow fine arts instructor Alex Bales. “We all got excited about it,” O’Donnell said. “We thought we had the cast for it.”

A lot of things are taken into consideration by both Gaesser and O’Donnell before one specific show is selected. The set needs to be able to be built in the two and a half months leading up to the show, and it also has to be affordable. Also, there needs to be a variation of roles so that either a large or small cast can successfully pull off the musical no matter what the size. The two directors want to do a production that is not being done in the surrounding area by other schools.

It takes many people behind the curtains to put the show on the stage for the public’s eyes. The ones in charge of this are known as the crew, a group that anyone can be part of. In order to be a part of any aspect of the crew–makeup, lights, sound, backstage, or costumes, talk to Gaesser when practices start after winter break.

As for pit, O’Donnell said that he is looking for 8-15 members to be in the pit. To be in the pit, students who play instruments will notice the sheet of instruments needed for the show. From there on, they will need to talk to O’Donnell to be a part of the pit for the production.

Lastly, to be a part of the musical cast, you have to audition. In the musical “Big Fish,” there are 25-45 roles, ranging in sizes. Audition material was made available Dec. 1 in the choir room. For the audition, students had to sing a verse and a chorus of a song from the show, filled out a paper based upon their preferences for a role, and performed a monologue piece for both O’Donnell and Gaesser. The total audition time is about five minutes. Auditions took place Dec. 18 and Dec 19. in the choir room.

To prepare for an audition senior Josh McLean, who has been involved in the musical since freshman year, recommends that auditioners look over the material beforehand and practice in order to nail their tryout. He also said that students who have been a part of the cast, crew or pit before have a greater chance of getting a role as previous experience “shows they are dedicated.” Junior Sarah Schorle, who has been in both the cast and in the pit, said she “sings through the material a few times” before going into the audition room.

Students are hopeful for the certain characters they wish to play. McLean would like to play Edward as he is a baritone. Freshman Reagan Watson, who played Timone in her seventh grade production of the “Lion King,” hopes to get either the wife or the witch as she believes they will “look good on stage” and be exciting to play. Schorle just hopes to get a bigger role, as she is “ready to push her performance skills to the next level.”

The musical is scheduled to open on Friday, March 9, 2018, and close the following Sunday. There is a lot of time to be put in and work to be done until then. Good luck to all who auditioned for “Big Fish.”