Big
at South Plantation High School

Reviewed on March 16, 2013

Maggie Behan
Cardinal Gibbons
Submitted for publication to

Josh Baskin is quickly climbing the corporate ladder; he's the vice president of a successful toy company, he's dating another bigshot at the corporation, and he can do no wrong in his boss's eyes. The only problem? Josh is just thirteen. Big the Musical, staged by South Plantation High School, is a cautionary tale about being careful what you wish for, understanding the gap between kids and adults, and appreciating the challenges each group faces.

Written by David Shire and Richard Maltby, Jr., Big the Musical was unveiled on Broadway in 1996. It tells the story of a boy named Josh who makes a wish to be "big". To Josh's great surprise, his wish is granted, and he wakes up the next morning trapped in a 30 year old man's body. The only person who believes Josh's story is his best friend, Billy. To support himself, Josh manages to get a job as vice president of a toy company through his childish nature. Susan, a fellow executive, falls hard for Josh's sweet innocence. Despite his success at the toy company, Josh soon realizes that he is not cut out for the world of adulthood just yet, and he must return to being a child. After an emotional goodbye to Susan, Josh makes his wish and is reunited with his family.

Bright colors, animated choreography, and toys galore--South Plantation's performance was nothing if not energetic. The sets were inventive and a bit abstract, allowing them to drive home the themes of childhood and growing up. The powerful lighting underscored each scene effectively. Some of the most enjoyable moments in the show were the numbers featuring the ensemble, particularly the executives. All the performers had to sign their lines in ASL as well as act, speak, sing, and dance. This extra layer could've made the cake fall over; instead, it supplemented it and felt fresh and relevant.

Joseph Franklin gave a spirited, lively, and very childlike performance as "Older Josh". His energy and innocence seemed to infect the other actors with a similar zeal. Lending authenticity to the kid-friendly mood were the actual kids performing in the show, students of nearby middle schools. Most notable of these were Logan Moreno as Young Josh and Frederick Bredemeyer as Billy; the two had beautiful voices and acting chops far beyond their years.

By far the best moments in the show were the big numbers featuring the ensemble and their contagious excitement. The executives at Macmillan Toys seemed to love every minute of performing, so by default every minute of their very animated performances was loveable. On the flip side, however, some of the leads seemed downright bored onstage, and there were some weak and unsure vocals to top it off. Additionally, the fourth wall was broken a few times too many--gimmicks lose their power if you overuse them.

For the most part, the tech was one of the most well-done aspects of the show. The colorful set was beautiful, innovative, and professional; the lighting was powerful and resonant; and the scene changes were fun and creative. The sound was a different story, however. The microphones were never quite loud enough to allow the performers to be heard clearly over the music, and some microphones consistently cut out, dropping key lines.

From bright and fun tech aspects to lively ensemble members, South Plantation was definitely in touch with its inner kid. Despite some seemingly uninterested actors and a couple weak singers, the show wowed with its infectious energy. It just goes to show you--be careful what you wish for, because it can have BIG consequences!

Caylee Hampton
Western High School
Submitted for publication to

Dancing dolls, singing executives, and a magical fortune-telling toy, all telling their stories in American Sign Language? Fantastical as it may seem, all of this magic can be found in one place: South Plantation High School's production of Big the Musical. With both stunnning visuals and an equally stunning mastery of ASL, this whimsical adaptation of the Tom Hank's film was a roaring success.

When little Josh Baskin becomes exasperated with being treated like a kid, he makes a wish to be "big" on a fortune-telling machine at a carnival. Little does Josh know that the next morning he will wake up a full grown man! As Josh attempts to become acclimated to his grown-up status, he encounters the difficulty of holding a job, office politics, and the advances of a certain miss Susan Lawrence. With the help of his inner child Josh manages to excel in the business world until he finally learns the true meaning of the old adage "be careful what you wish for."

The production exceeded expectation with its professionalism and talented performances. The show seamlessly blended American Sign Language into the blocking and choreography and the children onstage were consummate professionals. Big the Musical at South Plantation High School was a colorful, spirited event, complete with touching moments and plenty of laughs.

Joseph Franklin as the adult Josh Baskin was entertaining and loveable. Franklin was impressive in his ability to portray a child trapped in an adult body. Furthermore, Franklin's ability to portray a realistic friendship between him and his much younger best friend, the talented Frederick Bredemeyer as Billy, was phenomenal. The two were connected and often riffed off of each other much to the enjoyment of the audience.

Many of the supporting actors were engaging and enthusiastic during every moment onstage, helping to set the tone of the show. Lance Spencer as Nick, and several other ensemble parts, was flawless with every character he portrayed. His facial expressions were hysterical and perfectly dramatic, while his dancing was so graceful and bombastic that he often drew one's eye from other performers onstage. Moreover, Tajah Lee as the receptionist, among other roles, was a wonderful dancer, lighting up the stage with her crisp movement.

South Plantation outdid itself in regards to set and lighting. The lighting effects were eye-catching and reflected the mood of each scene beautifully. The set was an absolute masterpiece, proving colorful and functional, and providing several surprises that caused much gushing from the viewers. Finally, the costuming for the show was very realistic, fitting the time period of the musical as if every outfit on the stage had been hand selected out of an 80's magazine.

Big the Musical at South Plantation High School is a visual wonder with elaborate sets and delightful choreography and costumes. An absolute must-see, audiences leave the show with a tear in their eyes and an inner child waking up within. Big is definitely a smash-hit.

Karla Civil
Dillard Center for the Arts
Submitted for publication to

One boy, one wish, and one BIG mistake? Josh is a 12 year old boy who seeks the affection of an older woman, who is 13 years old. While at a Carnival, he is granted a wish by "Zoltar Speaks", a machine at the carnival. Josh, who makes his wish of being "BIG" to be more suitable to catch the attention of the older girl, doesn't specify his wish clearly. The next morning, Josh gets an unexpected transformation. Will this new alteration make Josh neglect his past, friends, and family, or will he try to undo the wish to go back to his own reality? On March 16, 2013, South Plantation High School put on an unforgettable performance in their production of BIG The Musical, an adaptation of the film, BIG starring Tom Hanks.

From the set pieces, the lighting, scene changes, makeup, costumes, and more...SPHS, never ceased to be more punctual. The set was beautiful. It felt like there was an actual carnival, and the audience was actually present. The use of real props created a realistic outlook on the show; which was flattering. The crew, along with the cast, changed the scenes diligently, and it was really entertaining to watch. The makeup and costumes worked perfectly with every scene and contrasted with the previous one.

Being that it was such a BIG cast, everyone seemed to use all the space needed to execute their blocking. "The more the merrier" the saying goes, which fit splendidly when it came down to the toy factory scene. All the kids involved playing with the toys, while the sales people tried to control these kids. This ensemble was effective at working together . Every individual had a vital role, and made sure they were seen. Every character possessed an original appeal to themselves.

The Choreography was just brilliant. At times, I even had the urge to just get up out of my seat and dance along with the cast. So much energy and life on stage enticed the audience. Due to some technical difficulties with some mics, some lines were missed that was meant to be heard, but the cast didn't let that stop them from shinning, they delivered their lines along with their musical pieces sufficiently. The cast was diverse with many students; those from different middle schools, and some students from South Plantation High. They all seemed to stay focus and never broke character.

The use of sign language incorporated in dialogue and song was something I've never seen before, this was quite remarkable because it's never been done before in a play or musical. Everyone motioned their lines and lyrics' not just verbally, but through body movement. Some cast members were even deaf but still managed to put on a show stopping performance.

Older Josh, played by Joseph Franklin, got in tune with his inner child and had the audience laughing nonstop with his quirky antics and witty attitude. His chemistry with the cast flowed smoothly and his portrayal of Josh Baskin was spot on. Kalei Tischler, played Susan-whose relationship with Josh intensified and was breathtaking to watch. Lance Spencer, and Tajah Lee were involved in many ensembles and need to be acknowledged for their performances; strong characterization, impressive facial expressions, and perfect comedic timing!

SPHS rallied up a great cast and crew and made sure to convey a lasting impression of what their theater program is made of! Together, they all captivated an impeccable story. Kudos to SPHS, cast, and crew. This was definitely a show that was worth seeing!

Yimala Telemaque
Dillard Center for the Arts
Submitted for publication to

Parents always tell you to be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. This is exactly the case with the chromatic and vibrant enactment of "BIG the Musical" by South Plantation.

"BIG" follows the adventures of a young Josh Baskin who makes a wish to be big and gets it granted by a Zoltar machine. Now that he gets what he has asked for, he must deal with the consequences of being adult and all of its downsides. "Big" premiered on Broadway on April 26, 1996 and after 193 performances closed on October 12, 1996. Although it was nominated for five tony awards, it was one of the costliest shows on Broadway.

The love affair between Josh Baskin played by Joseph Franklin and Susan played by Kalei Tischler, took us on an emotional roller coaster! Franklin brought out the more fun and child like side of Tischler, while she allowed him to grow and see that being and adult isn't as easy as he anticipated. Franklin showed great growth and maturity as the musical progressed without losing his animated spirit. Breaking the fourth wall can be a mood killer when not executed properly, but Franklin did it effortlessly. Great comedic timing was something both Franklin and Tischler shared but in two very different ways. Tischler's humor was much more adult like than Franklin's. This once again shows the balance and chemistry the two shared.

The musical's ensemble as a whole was energetic and consistently upbeat. At times they did overshadow the main characters, but they brought an element of comedy through facial expression and body language that could not be denied. In such a large group it is difficult to stay synchronized and harmonized, but this cast perfected both.

The colorful set of "BIG" was used with much practicality. It went from being Josh's room, to a carnival, and then was used as an office. Although the set was large, it wasn't at all distracting. Colorful costumes coincided with the setting. These costumes were visually interesting and pleasing for the audience. The body microphones however, were problematic during a few numbers making the actors hard to hear.

South Plantation High School's production of "BIG" was an overall fun filled ride with a meaningful ending.

Felicia Freeborn
Pompano Beach High School
Submitted for publication to

Every little kid wants to grow up and leave their childhood behind them... until they actually are adults, and then they want nothing more than to return to their youths. South Plantation High School explored this concept in their recent production of Big: The Musical.

Big, an adaptation by director Mike Ockrent of the 1988 Tom Hanks film, first opened on Broadway in April 1996 and closed in October of that same year after 193 performances. The musical follows Josh Baskin who, at the beginning, is a twelve-year-old boy infatuated with Cynthia Benson, a thirteen-year-old at his school. Josh runs into Cynthia at the local carnival and hopes to woo her, but finds out she's there with a much older kid -- one old enough to drive. In his desperation, Josh flees the scene and stumbles upon a Zoltar machine. He wishes to be big and, to his surprise, his wish is granted when he awakens the next morning in an adult body. The rest of the musical documents Josh's struggle with adulthood as he lucks into a job at a toy company and wins the heart of an executive working there. Eventually though, Josh realizes he misses being a kid and he and his best friend Billy find another Zoltar machine to reverse his wish.

Joseph Franklin, who played Josh Baskin, maintained high energy throughout the entire duration of the play. He convincingly captured the personality of a thirteen-year-old stuck in a grown man's body, and played off the naiveté of youth well.

Jillian Direktor, who played Mrs. Baskin, had strong vocals throughout the show. She portrayed the varying degrees of emotion well, from the annoyed and frustrated mother, to the distraught mother who'd lost her young son. Kyle Rodriguez (Mr. Macmillan) also had consistent energy.

Lance Spencer had the audience laughing with his over-the-top portrayal of Nick, one of Susan's friends. Christina Nunes (Miss Watson) stayed in character as Josh Baskin's secretary who, while she seemed to like Josh well enough, conveyed her characters annoyance at some of Josh's more ridiculous demands through expertly-timed facial expressions.

The Executives maintained a high level of energy during their scenes, as well as during scene transitions. They often were part of the ensemble in the show's songs, like Cross the Line, and although some actors' singing was off-key, even when the spotlight wasn't focused on them, they stayed true to their respective characters.

Technically speaking, the lighting greatly aided the show's overall atmosphere. In the song Stars, the lights simulated a blanket of stars like you'd see on the ceiling of a planetarium that swirled around the stage and audience, and it gave a certain level of realness to the scene. While there were some problems with microphones, the cast made up for it by projecting their voices. Hair and makeup effectively created the appearance of late-eighties, early-nineties style, both in the adult characters and in the younger characters. The props, especially the neon-colored brick phones, were well-crafted and aided in establishing a time period.

A relatively long production with a large cast of more than thirty-seven members, Big: The Musical is a challenging production for any high school to take on. South Plantation High School was up for the challenge though, with an elegantly broken fourth wall and a dedicated cast.