Fish Fry - Comedy, Opera, & a Secret Recipe
By Danielle Dresden
Directed by Sarah Whelan
The fish fry may not have been invented in Wisconsin, but this is where we turned it into an art form. TAPIT/new works Ensemble Theater and Fresco Opera Theatre join forces to celebrate this beloved tradition in a new production, Fish Fry – Comedy, Opera, & a Secret Recipe.
In this production, Sal, the long-time proprietor of the nearly-legendary Sal’s Place, home of the best fish fry on Lake Cattywompus, plans to join the professional pickle ball circuit and needs someone to manage things in her absence. She announces a challenge – the person who successfully completes all three tasks will get Sal’s secret recipe and the restaurant. As three contestants vie for the top spot, and two eccentric tourists hunt the lake’s fabled Giant Muskie, there’s lots of action, intrigue, and unexpected romance. Ultimately, all candidates get their just desserts, ensuring a future full of good fun and good flavors.
Fish Fry plays with the conventions of opera, such as people, or in this case, fish, singing a long time before their deaths. It features arias from famous operas like Carmen and The Magic Flute, but with new lyrics.
Sarah Whelan directs, weaving together a script by Danielle Dresden, from TAPIT/new works Ensemble Theater, and musical direction by Dr. Melanie Cain, from Fresco Opera Theatre. The cast includes Donna Peckett, from TAPIT/new works Ensemble Theater, George Abbott, Liz Light, Isaac Brieske, Dresden, and Cain. Jackie Harrison-Jewell, graphic design, Lyn Marie Neuenfeldt, designing fish hats and costumes, and Frank Cain, stage manager, round out the production team. UW-Madison professor Dr. Janet Gilmore, who studies fishing communities, fishing, and even fish fries, served as a consultant on this project.
Produced by TAPIT/new works Ensemble Theater at Café Carpe, 18 South Water Street West, Fort Atkinson
Performances: July 12, 2019
Performance Times:
Friday, July 12, at 6:30 pmFree admission
Call 920-563-9391 for reservations or more information.
