Debuting Artist: Ruby Duka
Ruby takes the stage 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 am currently a 3rd year at CSU studying Theatre with a double concentration in Musical Theatre and Design & Technology. I currently work in the paint shop at CSU and as the A1/audio tech at Candlelight Dinner Playhouse and we just closed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat!
What is something you spend your free time doing, outside of theatre?
Outside of theatre I love thrifting and finding cool sweaters, and I am currently reading two books: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig and WAR is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges. I love spending time outdoors when I get the chance, especially paddleboarding!
How did you hear about OpenStage?
I’ve seen a lot of posters around Fort Collins, and the director, Noah Racey, is a professor I’ve worked heavily with at CSU!
What is your favorite song from the show? Why is that one your favorite?
Little Lamb From Alabama for sure. The choreography is so fun to dance, and to be working with Courtney and Brikaih has been so wonderful!!
What has been the most challenging aspect of rehearsals for this show?
It’s been a while since I’ve danced/choreographed, so it’s been an exciting challenge for me to be moving my body as a dancer again. I’ve missed it so much, and it has been a rewarding experience so far.
Why is Big Fish important? What do you hope audiences will get out of it?
Big Fish encapsulates the meaning of storytelling, a concept every artist is all too familiar with, within a strained father-son relationship. Underneath the fantastical and whimsical feel of the show, we see that stories are what keep people alive after death. I hope that the audience can feel the circular connection between the artists, from the production team to the actors to the live band, to the art form, and to themselves sitting in their seats, being immersed in this real and heartwarming story. All of us are experiencing one story, in one room, in one moment in time.
What is your favorite role you’ve played in the past?
My most recent role- Marcy Park in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at CSU!
What is your favorite musical?
Hadestown.
What projects are you working on next? What is your dream role or dream show to work on?
I will be the A1/audio tech for Crazy For You at Candlelight Dinner Playhouse!
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 Ruby take the stage in “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.
