Audiences are Raving over Big Fish!

    Based on a novel written in 1998, Big Fish was first performed on Broadway in 2013. This past Thursday, the actors at the Poplar Pike Playhouse changed into their costumes and put on the Mid-South’s premiere of the show in response to a roaring applause from their opening night audience.

    “The actors, the costumes, the storyline, I loved it all… I’ve seen the movie before, but seeing it performed live was so much more exciting!” said Martha Morris, who was in tears after watching the premiere.

    The show, which tells the story of a man and his stories, takes place in the South. After living an eventful life as a traveling salesman, Edward Bloom tells stories to his son Will. Will, however, tries to find some meaning behind his father’s often far-fetched stories.

    “The stories that Edward told were so crazy and fun, I loved it. I felt like a kid again listening to bedtime stories,” said Ryan Coleman, who watched his first musical at the Poplar Pike Playhouse.

   However, Big Fish’s unique appeal that attracts audiences is much more than just the stories. What separates this show from other musicals are the many messages that families can take from the show.

   “It was fun, and I loved the moral – everything that your parents tell you, it’s always for a reason, and Edward had his reasons for telling his son what he did,” said Olivia Thomas.

   No matter what type of musical you want to watch, Big Fish has it all! Whether it be romance, adventure, or drama, the show will keep you wanting more – regardless of your age.

   “It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat… I think everyone needs to see this with their mother or father and appreciate the message behind it,” said Morris.

   Big Fish runs through March 14th. Tickets for all nights can be purchased through the box office or online at PPP.org. Blocks of tickets are available at reduced rates for school groups and theatre parties. Contact the box office or visit our website for more information.

   For coupon codes, the latest updates and fun extras from the cast and crew follow the Poplar Pike Playhouse on Facebook and Twitter (@ppptheatre).

   The Poplar Pike Playhouse is the theatre complex located on the campus of Germantown High School.

A Tale of Father and Son Hits the PPP Stage Come February

The relationship between father and son can be a cherished one. From the first time a football is passed back and forth, to the lesson on tying your first tie, dads play an essential role in their sons’ growth. For Poplar Pike Playhouse’s Big Fish cast member Daniel Jaramillo, the fatherly lessons taught in the show are one’s he can compare to with his own dad.

“I feel fortunate to have a father who always cared and let me learn news things on my own,” said Jaramillo. “Growing up I didn’t exactly appreciate it, but looking back on it I will always love my dad for caring.”

Edward Bloom, Big Fish’s epic hero, is the loving and caring father to Will Bloom. From a Wild West showdown to an eccentric USO show, Bloom uses these fantastic tales to impart life’s most important lessons, such as being brave and standing up for what’s right, to a young Will. While the stories might be fictional the lessons that can be pulled out of them can be applied to in today’s world.

“When I was a little kid my own father would tell me stories of brave and heroic figures saving the day,” said Evan Hoover, who plays the strong-minded Will Bloom in PPP’s Big Fish. “Getting the chance to portray Will every night is a constant reminder of the lessons that I learned from my own dad and how they can apply to everything in life.”

Germantown High School’s Poplar Pike Playhouse presents the regional premiere of Big Fish. Based on Tim Burton’s 2003 motion picture, this musical adaptation is barely a year removed from the Broadway stage.

Edward Bloom is a farmer’s son from Alabama who lived a life full of epic adventures, tall tales and imaginative friends. As Edward’s story draws to a close, his son begins a journey to discover his father’s true identity. Is Edward hiding behind his tales, or by understanding the stories will his son come to truly understand the man? Powerful storytelling, uplifting music and show-stopping numbers give this modern musical the feel of a big, Broadway classic.

Be there when the Poplar Pike Playhouse becomes the first theatre in our region to bring Big Fish home to you February 26 through March 14. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online at ppp.org or calling the box office at (901)-755-7775. Follow the PPP on Facebook and Instagram (poplarpikeplayhouse) or Twitter (@ppptheatre) for updates and special coupon codes.  

The cast of Big Fish includes Maclean Mayers, Evan Hoover, Sydney Armstrong, Dailey Thompson, Raneem Imam, Hayley Bardos, Daniel Jaramillo, Elijah Bienz, Caleb Suggs, Ben Taylor, Brigitte Anderson, Alia Burrows, Arafat Quran, Chad Baker, Bryan Scott, Elana Leav, Jacob Kight, Sara Mayers, Jackie Kamin, Kaylynn Coulter, Amber Allen, Summer Eggert, Kennedy Harris, Kassie Kimble, Gabriel Portillo, India Scott, Lundell Simmons, Antonio Smith, Vontrell Thomas, Alan Toney, Alex Turner, Austin Carrico.

    The Poplar Pike Playhouse is the theatre complex located on the campus of Germantown High School.

Along With PPP’s Big Fish Comes Fond Memories For Its Cast

    One of the best presents that a parent can give his or her child is the joy of an entertaining story. In Big Fish, Edward Bloom tells his son Will many tall tales intertwining both truth and fantasy to portray his life’s story. Like the fictional character Will Bloom, many of the cast and crew members of Big Fish, the Poplar Pike Playhouse’s newest production, also remember hearing tall tales of their own when they were children.

    “I remember when I was a little girl, my mom would tell me that a stork delivered babies to their parents,” said Raneem Imam, who portrays the clairvoyant witch in Big Fish. “My parents would often tell me these stories, and I think they just did it to support my childhood imagination.”

    Imam, however, isn’t the only one who remembers his parent’s vivid stories as a child. Her fellow cast members also had something to say about the tradition of “Big Fish” stories. Bryan Scott, a newcomer to the Poplar Pike Playhouse stage, believes that his tall tale experience was for an entirely different reason.

    “My parents told me all these stories that were beyond belief simply to see how I would react to them. But a lot of times they probably just did it to have some fun – I know I would if I had kids.” Said Scott, who had heard a lot of tall tales as a child, but his favorite had to be the one about the monster under his bed. “One of the stories my parents would tell me was that if I didn’t go to sleep before my bedtime, the Boogeyman would come out and scare me in the middle of the night… But I quickly learned they just said that so I would fall asleep earlier.”

    Whether they’re told in order to instill a sense of imagination or to encourage good behavior, the stories hold a place in almost everyone’s hearts. At the end of the day, the stories are enjoyable and put a smile on even the youngest of faces. No matter what their opinion is on tall tales, the cast and crew of Big Fish can all agree on one thing: the stories are what make the musical so entertaining.

    Edward Bloom is a farmer’s son from Alabama who lived a life full of epic adventures, tall tales and imaginative friends. As Edward’s story draws to a close, his son begins a journey to discover his father’s true identity. Is Edward hiding behind his tales, or by understanding the stories will his son come to truly understand the man? Powerful storytelling, uplifting music and show-stopping numbers give this modern musical the feel of a big, Broadway classic.

    Be there when the Poplar Pike Playhouse becomes the first theatre in our region to bring Big Fish home to you February 26 through March 14. Visit ppp.org or call the PPP Box Office at (901) 755-7775 for more information. Follow the PPP on Facebook and Instagram (poplarpikeplayhouse) or Twitter (@ppptheatre) for updates and special coupon codes.

    The Poplar Pike Playhouse is the theatre complex located on the campus of Germantown High School.

A Southern Fantasy Adventure Hits the PPP Stage

    Germantown High School’s Poplar Pike Playhouse presents the regional premiere of Big Fish. Based on Tim Burton’s 2003 motion picture, this musical adaptation is barely a year removed from the Broadway stage.

    Edward Bloom is a farmer’s son from Alabama who lived a life full of epic adventures, tall tales and imaginative friends. As Edward’s story draws to a close, his son begins a journey to discover his father’s true identity. Is Edward hiding behind his tales, or by understanding the stories will his son come to truly understand the man? Powerful storytelling, uplifting music and show-stopping numbers give this modern musical the feel of a big, Broadway classic.

    “Big Fish appealed to me for many reasons. Where else can you find a musical where you travel to the swamp, a circus, a river, the war and flooded towns? But that is not the true magic of the musical,” said Big Fish director Ashleigh Siegfried Williams. “Big Fish takes us on a journey that we all will face at one time in our life: what story will we leave when we are gone? I feel I have the perfect story and the perfect cast to bring this musical to life.”

    Be there when the Poplar Pike Playhouse becomes the first theatre in our region to bring Big Fish home to you February 26 through March 14. Visit ppp.org or call the PPP Box Office at (901) 755-7775 for more information. Follow the PPP on Facebook and Instagram (poplarpikeplayhouse) or Twitter (@ppptheatre) for updates and special coupon codes.  

    The cast of Big Fish includes Maclean Mayers, Evan Hoover, Sydney Armstrong, Dailey Thompson, Raneem Imam, Hayley Bardos, Daniel Jaramillo, Elijah Bienz, Caleb Suggs, Ben Taylor, Brigitte Anderson, Alia Burrows, Arafat Quran, Chad Baker, Bryan Scott, Elana Leav, Jacob Kight, Sara Mayers, Jackie Kamin, Kaylynn Coulter, Amber Allen, Summer Eggert, Kennedy Harris, Kassie Kimble, Gabriel Portillo, India Scott, Lundell Simmons, Antonio Smith, Vontrell Thomas, Alan Toney, Alex Turner, Austin Carrico.

    The Poplar Pike Playhouse is the theatre complex located on the campus of Germantown High School.