TJ theater and STEM students combine their talents for ‘Big Fish’
By Sohana Bahl and Ami Le
With show-stopping dancing, dedicated technicians, and the fantastical world of giants and mermaids, the theater department at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is ready to make a splash with “Big Fish.”
Performances are scheduled for April 25 and 26, and May 2 and 3 at 7 p.m. and April 26 and May 3 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at tjtheaterarts.com or at the door
Thomas Jefferson Theater Arts (TJTA) is a unique program. With the school’s primary focus on science and technology, students involved in the arts have found themselves in a smaller, more tightly knit community.
“Theater is more than just a fun, creative outlet, though it is that,” says TJ senior Asha Das. “I think a lot of people underestimate the things you can learn from theater.”
“I’ve been able to work on my skills in leadership, collaboration, and thinking outside the box, and those skills have made me a better leader, student, and scientist,” Asha says.
This spring, TJTA students challenge themselves with Big Fish, the 2013 musical composed by Andrew Lippa. The cherished tale follows an attempt to fix a strained relationship between a father, Edward Bloom, and his son, Will Bloom.
As young Will learns more about his father’s life, he realizes the importance of empathy and what it takes to love and appreciate his father. Just like how the members of the Bloom family care for each other in the show, TJ theater students strive to form a similarly supportive community at school.
Junior Thomas Gay thrives in the encouraging atmosphere. “In TJTA, there’s always somewhere to go or someone to talk to. I just feel like I connect with everyone.”
In addition to the connections among those involved in the production, TJTA also sports impressive technical development. For Big Fish, TJTA integrated some of the seniors’ classwork into the show.
The school offers a unique senior research lab program, in which TJ seniors combine their acquired knowledge into a single year-long project. Theater students took advantage of this opportunity by building a working elevator to go onstage for the show.
Senior Dani Hunter shared her experience with the project. “I’ve always had an interest in both theater and the construction side of engineering, and this project was the perfect opportunity to integrate the two. I like doing CAD, math, and testing things. Overall, I’m really excited for people to see how we used our interest in STEM to further the story in Big Fish.”
Along with the technical behind-the-scenes work, the actors in Big Fish are more than ready to put on an amazing performance.
Prajeet Chitty, a junior, plays Will Bloom, a complex character with a vital role in the story. “Playing Will, I’d say I learned a lot about how I can take real-life experiences and use them to better my performance in the show.”
“While I can’t fully relate to Will, I can find emotions that are universal and use times of frustration or hope in my life to inspire my portrayal of the character,” Prajeet says. “It’s good to find that line between yourself and who you’re playing.”
From STEM to acting, TJTA students demonstrate their passions, uniting the school across grade levels and interests to form one cohesive production.
Sohana Bahl and Ami Le are 10th graders at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
