Meet the Cast of "The Fisherman and His Wife": Storyteller and the Kokken

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. You can also meet the Flounder and the Seahorse here. Today, we finish up our introductions with the Storyteller and the Kokken.

Name: Mariah Bowles Character: Storyteller If you could have a supernatural helper, what would you have? I would definitely want a fairy godmother. A genie in a lamp limits your number of wishes, and the last time I caught a magic flounder it took weeks to get that fish smell off my hands. What would you wish for? I'd wish for an increased amount of love for others. A yacht wouldn't be bad either. What is the overall message of this play? The person we become is determined by what we chose to set our hearts on. We all have the potential for goodness or evil, but who we become is a result of what we've sought to surround ourselves with. What has this message taught you? It has taught me to be grateful for the things that I have, and to focus on those aspects of my life that are most important. It's also taught me that I have the potential to make the mistakes Isabel did. However, I can avoid that by choosing each day to go after what is right. What was your favorite part of working on this show? Working with and learning from our fantastic director, cast, crew, and collaborators! I've grown a lot from the insights they've given me, not only as an actress, but as a person.

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Name: Nicole Ganowsky Schofield Character: Kokken #1 If you could have a supernatural helper what would it be? I'd have to say a genie in a lamp, but he'd have to be super cool like the one from Aladdin. We could do pretty sweet musical numbers together, play lots of fun games, and once I used up two of my wishes, I'd use the third to set him (or her) free! But we'd still be best friends for life!! What would you wish for? I'd wish for my dream house; 5 bedroom, 3 bathrooms with an amazing kitchen, movie room, and a beautiful back yard with lots of grass! My second wish would be for my husband and I to die at about 90 years old, in our sleep, together (cue adorable sigh here). What is the overall message of this play? "Be careful what you wish for." Sometimes wishes have a way of backfiring on you and your loved ones. What has this message taught you? Before you can be happy with what you want, you must be happy with what you have. Learn to be content with where you are at in your life. If not, you will always find something wrong, something more you want, and nothing will ever be enough. What was your favorite part of working on this show? Becoming friends with all the cast members and crew, and getting to know each of their lovely selves. I love you guys!

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Name: Rachel Belt Character: Kokken #2 If you could have a supernatural helper, what would you have? A Fairy Godmother. What would you wish for? I would wish for my family and friends to be happy. What is the overall message of this play? Greed is all-consuming and never brings true contentment. What has this message taught you? It has taught me that I can be happy with the little things in life, and that if you allow yourself, you can be happier with little than with everything. What was your favorite part of working on this show? The people and the collaborative experience. In some ways, it’s a little scary that things are so fluid and flexible, but it’s cool to be able to see all of our ideas melding into one to create one fun and meaningful show.