Debuting Artist: Anna Cordova
Anna joins the production team for the very first time with OpenStage in Big Fish: Small Cast Edition!
Tell us about yourself! What theatre or other experiences did you have in this discipline before working on this show?
I grew up in Aurora, Colorado where I started doing theatre in high school. Once I graduated I knew I wanted to do theatre full time and began majoring in it the second I got to CSU. Through CSU, I have worked with a number of stage management teams on multiple plays, musicals, operas, and dance shows. Last year, I took a gap year and moved back home to work on Theatre of the Mind at The Denver Center and Turandot at Opera Colorado as a production assistant within their stage management teams.
What is something you spend your free time doing, outside of theatre?
I love being outside! I ski very often in the winter and I am usually climbing, camping, or hiking in the summer. When I am not outside, I am usually playing videogames with my partner or crocheting.
How did you hear about OpenStage?
Noah Racey! I have had the opportunity to work with Noah for 4 years now and I was super excited to do some more work outside of CSU.
Tell us a little bit about what you do for this production!
A lot of my job is tracking the backstage movements and onstage scenic changes of the show so typically I make templates for a run sheet and presets for our crew prior to us starting rehearsal and fill it out as the show is blocked. This show has so much to track because of all of the props and quick changes which is one of my favorite challenges. I also do my best to get to know the cast I am working with to ensure that they feel comfortable and safe through the rehearsal and performance process.
What is your favorite song from the show? Why is that one your favorite?
My favorite song from the show at the moment is “I Don’t Need a Roof”. It just pulls at my heartstrings real good as Sandra starts to accept that she is going to be okay without Edward.
What has been the most rewarding part of this show and your work?
Definitely watching the show and the characters grow. I love the way Noah works in setting a skeleton for the show and then just being able to watch the actors lean into that skeleton to build some amazingly detailed scenes with beautiful choices is so rewarding.
What is your favorite thing about this show?
That scenic design for sure! Caleb (our technical director) did an amazing job with the design and I have loved facing all of the challenges that it has given us because once we were able to work past them, the result adds such a beautiful element to the show.
What projects are you working on next? What is your dream role or dream show to work on?
I am slated for two more shows for my final year at CSU, the first being the Fall Dance Concert and the second is Paradise Lost! My dream show to work on is definitely Hamilton but ultimately I would love to tour for a while regardless of the show I am doing!
Book by John August
Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa
Based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and the Columbia Motion Picture written by John August
Directed by Noah Racey
March 23- April 20, 2024
Playing at the Lincoln Center Magnolia Theatre
Come see “Big Fish: Small Cast Edition” March 23- April 20!
Based on the celebrated novel by Daniel Wallace and the acclaimed film directed by Tim Burton, Big Fish – Small Cast Edition, tells the story of Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman who lives life to the fullest and fantastical! Edward’s incredible, larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him—most of all, his devoted wife, Sandra. But their son Will, about to have a child of his own, is determined to find the truth behind his father’s epic tales of mermaids and giants. Big Fish is a heartfelt, powerful, and truly magical musical that reminds us why we love going to the theatre—for an experience that’s richer, funnier, and BIGGER than life itself.
