Meet the Cast of "The Fisherman and His Wife": Flounder and Seahorse

by Haley Flanders, dramaturg

Fisherman and His Wife is currently up and running on BYU’s Nelke stage. To celebrate our production, we wanted to give you the chance to get to know the cast that is bringing this story to life. You can meet the Fisherman and his wife, Isabel, here. Check back tomorrow for the rest of the cast!

Name: Ross Wilcox

Character: Flounder

If you could have a supernatural helper, what would you have? After learning from this show that you have to be careful what you wish for, I would be hesitant to have a supernatural helper that offered me any wishes. I think I would rather have some kind of fairy godmother or wise mentor that appears and tells me exactly what to do with my life every time I’m faced with a difficult decision, because so far I still don’t have a clue.

What would you wish for? To be able to do whatever I want in life (support a family, work, take on hobbies and projects), without ever having to worry about money. Not that I want a lot of money; I would just have it not be such a stressful part of life.

What is the overall message of this play? Be grateful for what you have. Happiness comes from the people, not the things, in our lives. Alternately, be careful what you wish for, because it just might come true.

What has this message taught you? This play has taught me that wishes, without work, only lead to dissatisfaction. It’s not bad to have desires and aspirations, but unlimited gratification can never satisfy the soul’s need for honest achievement.

What was your favorite part of working on this show? I love how playful the show is. As an actor, I felt like I was able to grow tremendously, taking risks and using techniques I’ve never used before. I also loved the ensemble feel of the show. We all got to know each other very well, and every rehearsal felt like coming home.

Name: Emma Truax
Character: Prince’s Assistant (Seahorse)
If you could have a supernatural helper, what would you have? I would want a fairy godmother because you could have her help whenever you truly need it, and I feel like my fairy godmother would be awesome!
What would you wish for? To be able to go to Harry Potter world in Florida with all my friends and family, and have the whole park to myself for a week.
What is the overall message of this play? Focusing on material things and worldly accomplishments won’t make you happy. Focusing on friends, and family and those you love is what makes you happy.
What has this message taught you? Serving others and loving others is what truly brings me happiness. If I am focused on myself or things that I need, I am never going to be satisfied and so I therefore won’t be happy.
What was your favorite part of working on this show? I loved what I have been able to learn and accomplish physically in this show. The physical aspect of this show is SO cool and I have loved learning the different techniques that Nestor has shared with the cast.

Tags

Fisherman and His Wife

data-content-type="article"

by Darci Ramirez, dramaturg Dear Audience Members and Fellow Stars, Luna is able to take cosmic themes and tell them in a single, simple story for people who are looking for a reason to believe in their dreams and find friendship. But that doesn’t mean that the heavier themes are missed by younger audiences.. Need, loss, loneliness and sacrifice are all shown throughout this play. It’s important to recognize that the ending isn’t perfect; Mama and Papa are separated from Soledad and Luna’s relationship with Soledad is still tender and hurt. We don’t know what the future holds for Mama and Papa, who are still continuing to work in an industry that is hard and, sometimes, unfair. But what makes Luna shine is the hope for tomorrow because of the big steps we’re willing to make today. Soledad takes risks to find friendship and believe in her dreams, even if it complicates her life. And taking risks doesn’t always mean success, because Soledad didn’t always succeed - but taking risks does mean that you’ll grow to be the sort of person that can succeed, can find your friends, and can reach the moon. This production is informed by where we are, as a community, and who we are as a creative team. Because a strong majority of migrant workers in Utah are Mexican, Mexican-American, or of Mexican descent, that has informed the world in which Soledad finds herself. You might even recognize the Utah mountains in the backdrop of the set! But, at the same time, Soledad is an outsider in this world. In order to show this, Soledad and her family carry with them Costa Rican traditions and designs - informed by the cultural background of our director, Kris Peterson. This production has also been touched by many other Latinx backgrounds and identities - my own included. These design and story choices are expressions of our stories and experiences, but it doesn’t encompass all experiences. Luna isn’t just Mexican, Costa Rican, Guatemalan or Brazilian - but it holds the hearts of people who are. Because of that, we’ve chosen to give parts of our cultures to a story that can apply to anyone who’s ever felt alone. That doesn't mean that we’re limiting who we are, or who our audience is, either! In the end, Soledad doesn’t have to sacrifice who she is in order to make connections - she loves her books and astronomy, but learns to love fashion and food, too! In the same way, we can relate to the experiences of other people and celebrate what makes us unique.

overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection= overrideCardHideByline= overrideCardHideDescription= overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=

Meet the Cast of "The Fisherman and His Wife": Flounder and Seahorse

Related Articles

A Letter from the Luna Dramaturg

Migrant Worker's Movement and Migrant Theatre

Filming Day for Turn of the Screw